Lan Xue

Research interests

The emergence and evolution of somatic mutations are fundamental processes in tumorigenesis. Among these, mutational signatures provide critical insights into the underlying carcinogenic mechanisms. My research focuses on mutational signature SBS17b in gastro-oesophageal adenocarcinoma, which has been previously associated with fluorouracil chemotherapy exposure and damage induced by reactive oxygen species. However, the precise carcinogenic factors responsible for SBS17b and the molecular pathways driving its mutagenesis remain undefined.

To address this gap, I employ gastric organoid models in combination with high-sensitivity sequencing methods to investigate the mechanistic basis of SBS17b. Through this approach, I aim to advance our understanding of its mutagenic processes and explore potential interventions to mitigate the risk of gastro-oesophageal cancer.

background

My DPhil is funded by the Ludwig Cancer Research Institute. Prior to this, I pursued MRes in Molecular Evolution and Genetics at Nanjing University, where I investigated hypermutation mechanism and the dynamics of mutation accumulation in model organism Neurospora crassa.