Timour Baslan, PhD

Many different kinds of mutations affect cancer genomes, but the most recurrent are copy number alterations, resulting in a cancer cell with more or fewer copies of a gene than a normal genome. Dr. Baslan is focused on developing novel therapies that target this class of mutations with an emphasis on deletion events. More specifically, using a combination of advanced algorithms and chemical biology tools, Dr. Baslan is investigating specific vulnerabilities that are associated with deletion events and developing strategies to target these sensitivities in pancreatic cancers. Ultimately, Dr. Baslan aims to explore the generalizability of these therapeutic strategies across cancers, as the majority of cancer genomes contain recurrent deletions.