Genomics and Epigenomics Research Program

Our main interests are focused on three major disciplines: Pharmacogenomics, Epigenetics and Metagenomics.

1. Pharmacogenomics is the branch of genetics concerned with the likely response of an individual to a therapeutic drug, in this case chemotherapy. In this area we have reached out for grants to help us identify genetic variations that confer susceptibility to chemotherapy induced cardiotoxicity and osteonecrosis, which are long term side effects that affect some pediatric patients but not others.


2. Epigenomics are reversible changes that occur on DNA to affect its expression, rather than changing the genetic code itself. One of our grants focuses on screening these epigenetic changes (DNA methylation) in Wilms tumor to identify any markers that are unique to the disease in pediatric Egyptian population.


3. Metagenomics is an area focused on studying the bacteria community that lives in the human body and help digest certain vitamins. One grant in particular is studying the disturbance in the bacteria composition in response to chemotherapy, which could be a driving cause to infections in ALL patients.