Damon Runyon Researchers

Dr. Viny [William Raveis Charitable Fund Fellow] is studying the oncogenic role of abnormalities in the cohesin complex-a group of proteins that function to align and stabilize sister chromatids (copies of the chromosomes) during cell division.  Mutations within several proteins in this complex have been identified in solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, particularly acute myeloid leukemia, the most common adult leukemia. Although it was presumed these mutations would result in unbalanced chromosomal breaks, this outcome has not yet been observed. He is exploring the mechanistic role of cohesin mutations in cancer pathophysiology and is investigating novel targeted therapies to block this pathway.