A new study published in Nature Genetics is helping illuminate some of the mechanisms that can make extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) so dangerous. Professor Vineet Bafna was a corresponding author on the study.
“EcDNA are formed when fragments of genetic material break away from their chromosomes, forming small, circular molecules that can act independently,” said Bafna. “These fragments can duplicate cancer-promoting oncogenes, helping tumors become more aggressive and resist treatments.”
The study uses mathematical modeling, simulations, and experiments to explain how random segregation and selection can boost cancer aggressiveness and its ability to resist treatments.
Sean Gao, an assistant CSE professor, has received an Amazon Research Award for his proposal “Interior Search Methods in SMT.” Gao joins a half-dozen CSE faculty members who have been honored by Amazon with this award in the last four years.
Gao is one of 74 researchers from 51 countries to receive an Amazon Research Award this year. His award-winning proposal – an extension of his research on practical algorithms for NP-hard search and optimization problems – was selected for its scientific content, creativity and potential impact.
