Dalton Hill

Metabolic reprogramming and genomic instability during early lung tumorigenesis

Previously, our lab demonstrated that the cystine/glutamate antiporter SLC7A11 (xCT), is highly expressed in lung cancer, and induces metabolic reprogramming when overexpressed. I am investigating the effect of SLC7A11-induced metabolic reprogramming on DNA methylation and histone methylation/acetylation. The overarching goal is to understand the interplay between metabolic reprogramming and genomic instability and the contribution of epigenomic aberration. Elucidation of the cross-talk among these cellular processes will further our understanding of the mechanisms of malignant transformation and thus will pave the way for the early detection of lung cancer and developing chemopreventative strategies.