By: Lauri Aaltonen
The funding period of the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Tumor Genetics research reaches its end tomorrow. The long-term generous support from the Research Council of Finland made possible an extremely productive journey, uniting the skills and desire of four different research groups, all with unique capabilities. We worked on improving the understanding of the functions of the genome and to bring genomic medicine into practice. We achieved this by taking advantage of existing public data and creating and analyzing new key datasets from selected patient populations, sometimes identified using unique Finnish registries that allowed population-scale data mining. What we achieved together was made possible by the CoE funding instrument.
Tumors are a challenging disease group as every single case is unique due to the combination of the persons own genome, the tumor genomes formed by the accumulation of mutations over time, and environmental factors. Rapid advances in technologies continue to produce new data and opportunities towards novel scientific breakthroughs.
We have been sharing our work and research over the years through this blog platform, hoping that it has provided a meaningful perspective and a clearer understanding of how funding influences cancer research and medical progress, and why these investments matter for patients, families, and communities. We have covered topics at the intersection of genomics and cancer biology, featuring discussions on bioinformatics, computational biology, and sequencing methods, and delved into specific cancer research areas including prostate and colorectal cancer. We expanded on molecular mechanisms (e.g., chromatin accessibility, microsatellite instability), targeted therapies, and the role of mechanistic insights in developing genomic medicine. We highlighted researcher training, tools for analysis, and personnel behind the science. And above all, we hope you’ve enjoyed reading along just as much as we’ve enjoyed sharing our work with you.
I thank all the many staff members, researchers, as well as co-principal investigators who have contributed to our efforts. The spirit within the CoE has been excellent, and it has truly been a pleasure and an honour to be its director. Several papers were published in the world-leading journals Nature and Science and in other prestigious forums, an achievement that we are very proud of. We hope and expect these breakthroughs to contribute also to better management of neoplasia in the future. None of our achievements would have been possible without the patients who have donated their samples for our research. I cannot thank you enough; every sample counts!
The CoE funding period approaches its end, and after so many success stories and truly cutting edge work it does feel a bit sad. Nevertheless, let’s cherish the many collaborative links and joint efforts that were seeded during this 8-year time interval. Keep up the good work!
Your sincerely,
Lauri A. Aaltonen, Director, CoETG
Tumor Genetics Blog 