Cancer genetics researcher Toshiyasu Taniguchi to join center's Human Biology, PHS divisions

Brief

A biologist with interests in rare genetic diseases that increase cancer susceptibility will join the Human Biology and Public Health Sciences divisions in November.

Dr. Toshiyasu Taniguchi, currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, has studied Fanconi anemia and other inherited cancer-predisposing syndromes to gain insight into how cancer develops in the general population. Many of these syndromes decrease cells' ability to detect and repair damaged DNA, leading to a condition known as genomic instability in which cells accumulate cancer-causing mutations. Since genomic instability is a hallmark of all cancers, Taniguchi expects that studying how the process occurs in people highly susceptible to cancer will provide clues to how cancer develops in all cases.

Among his recent accomplishments to emerge from this work was the discovery of how ovarian-cancer cells develop resistance to the chemotherapy drug cisplatin, which may lead to new ways to prevent it.

"Faculty in the Human Biology and PHS divisions are extremely pleased that Toshi has chosen to join the center," said Dr. Barbara Trask, director of the Human Biology Division. "His stellar research into the ways cells respond to DNA damage will be a great complementary addition to the center's efforts to understand, treat and prevent cancers."

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