Penn Lab at the AACR Special Conference on Expanding and Translating Cancer Synthetic Vulnerabilities

Peter Lin, a PhD student in Dr. Linda Penn’s lab at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, recently presented at the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Expanding and Translating Cancer Synthetic Vulnerabilities, held from June 10-13, 2024, in Montreal, Canada. This conference focused on the field of cancer synthetic lethal vulnerabilities, with a primary focus on translating these insights into innovative therapeutic strategies.

Peter Lin’s research focuses on the discovery and validation of novel MYC-driven vulnerabilities in cancer. In his work, he explored the interplay between MYC, a potent oncogene, and R-loops, which are DNA-RNA hybrids that are implicated in transcriptional regulation and genetic stability. By investigating the functional relationships between MYC and R-loop regulators such as topoisomerase 1 (TOP1), Peter showed that MYC-driven cancers could be selectively targeted by FDA-approved TOP1 inhibitors. His research shows that exploring context-specific vulnerabilities in cancer may lead to novel strategies for targeting the MYC oncogene.

The conference attracted hundreds of attendees from around the globe including leading scientists, clinicians, and industry professionals. They convened to explore and discuss the latest advancements in cancer synthetic vulnerabilities, sharing cutting-edge research and innovative approaches to improve cancer treatment outcomes.