2016 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Paula Vertino, PhD

Emory University

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Paula M. Vertino, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology and the leader of the Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics Program of the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. Dr. Vertino is a cancer research scientist internationally recognized for her work in the field of cancer epigenetics. She has a longstanding record of extramural research support from the NCI, the American Cancer Society, NASA and the Georgia Cancer Coalition. She has served as a regular member on the Cancer Etiology study section at the NIH, and is a former member of the editorial board of Cancer Research.

​Daniel De Carvalho, PhD, University of Toronto

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Our research focuses on understanding the epigenetic mechanisms underlying tumourigenesis and translating this knowledge into more efficient approaches for epigenetic therapy. We use a truly multi-disciplinary approach to investigate what mechanisms are driving the cancer-specific epigenetic alterations and to translate this knowledge into more efficient epigenetic interventions. To achieve this goal, we combine traditional molecular and cellular biology techniques with functional genomics screening, Next Generation Sequencing and computational biology.

Timothy Hughes, PhD

University of Toronto

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The genome sequence has been described as a blueprint, but it is one that we are largely unable to read.  Our goal is to understand how eukaryotic cells recognize and interpret the information in the genome, by collecting large-scale data on protein-DNA and protein-RNA sequence specificity.

Charis Eng, MD, PhD

Cleveland Clinic

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Charis Eng, MD, PhD is the Chair and founding Director of the Genomic Medicine Institute of the Cleveland Clinic, founding Director and attending clinical cancer geneticist of the institute’s clinical component, the Center for Personalized Genetic Healthcare, and Professor and Vice Chairman of the Department of Genetics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Dr. Eng’s research interests may be broadly characterized as clinical cancer genetics translational research. Her work on RET testing in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 and characterization of the widening clinical spectra of PTEN mutations have been acknowledged as the paradigm for the practice of clinical cancer genetics. At the clinical interface, Dr. Eng is acknowledged as one of the rare go to people on what is and how to implement genetic- and omics-enabled personalized

healthcare.