Ngan Thi Kim Ho

Name: Thi Kim Ngan Ho

Nationality: Vietnamese

Academic Background: Master of Science, International University, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Project Title: Novel mouse models for hepatoblastoma.

Project Background/ (why should audience care about my research)? Hepatoblastoma is a rare childhood liver cancer thought to originate from liver stem cells. The incidence is ~2.16/1.000.000 per year; however, the annual rate has gradually increased over the last three decades. Cancer genome sequencing has begun to unravel the genetic basis of hepatoblastoma, revealing a major role of the WNT pathway, with specially CTNNB1 (β-catenin) but also other pathway genes being mutated in up to 80% of patients. Several other genes are also found mutated with lower frequencies. Overall, hepatoblastoma shows a more limited spectrum of putative cancer genes compared to other liver cancers, but since the cancer genome sequencing studies on hepatoblastoma are few and small in cohort size, more driver genes will likely be identified. The 5-year survival is ~63%, but for inoperable patients, only ~28%. Consequently, hepatoblastoma treatment is shifting towards individualized therapies, rather than a universal treatment. In this endeavor, it is essential to develop new genetic mouse models that are more representative of patient tumors in order to determine mutated genes as bona-fide drivers and for drug testing. Herein, I propose to generate mouse models of hepatoblastoma using genome editing.

Project Aim:  Using genome editing approach (CRISPR/Cas9) to find out potential driver genes of hepatoblastoma.

Expected Outcome: CTNNB1 (β-catenin) is not the only driver for this cancer. Some passenger mutations may also play an important role in hepatoblastoma development.

Contact: Email: thi.ho@bric.ku.dk

Phone: +45 7153 1314