The Genomic Medicine and Discovery Division includes our Cancer Molecular Diagnostics section, the Texas Children’s Microbiome Center, and discovery research programs in immunology, vascular biology, and neurobiology/neural circuits.
The Cancer Molecular Diagnostics section includes the Cancer Cytogenetics, Cancer Genomics, and Molecular Oncology laboratories:
The Cancer Cytogenetics Core Laboratory includes cytogenetics and cytogenomics approaches for the diagnosis of pediatric leukemias and solid tumors.
The Cancer Genetics and Genomics Laboratory includes methods of next generation DNA and RNA sequencing of gene panels to stratify pediatric solid tumors and hematopoietic neoplasms.
The Molecular Oncology Laboratory uses targeted strategies to identify mutations or quantitative differences in specific genes linked to cancer. These efforts contribute to advancement of precision oncology at Texas Children’s. Research efforts include the pursuit of deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms of pediatric solid tumors including hepatoblastoma (liver cancer) and sarcomas. This laboratory is advancing the genomics of pediatric solid tumors and hematologic malignancies so that patients can be accurately diagnosed, stratified and matched to targeted treatment regimens.
The Texas Children’s Microbiome Center includes faculty and staff devoted to discovery and translation of human microbiome science. Efforts to decipher the contributions of the human microbiome to human disease states will facilitate a deeper understanding of mechanisms of disease. The medical metagenomics laboratory is developing new diagnostic strategies to incorporate assessment of the human microbiome into the practice of molecular pathology and disease diagnosis. Research efforts in our microbiome center include studies of antibiotic-associated colitis caused by Clostridium difficile, the microbome in autism spectrum disorders, the gut:brain axis, and the role of the human microbiome in metabolic syndrome and whole body metabolism.
Discovery research programs that are distinct from Cancer Molecular Diagnostics and the Microbiome Center include laboratories headed by Drs. Daniel Lacorazza, Thuy Phung and Roy Sillitoe.
Dr. Daniel Lacorazza’s research program is entitled Experimental Immunology & Hematology and is located in the Feigin Tower.
Dr. Thuy Phung’s research program is entitled Developmental and Tumor Vascular Biology and is located in the Feigin Tower.
Dr. Roy Sillitoe’s research program is entitled Brain Patterns and Neural Circuits and is located in the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute.
Additionally research cores for the Texas Medical Center Digestive Diseases Center are located in this Division.
