Heaphy Lab

What We Do

The Heaphy Lab conducts basic and translational research studies focused on elucidating the role of telomere alterations in the initiation of human diseases, particularly cancer. Overall, we use a combination of tissue-based, cell-based, and molecular approaches to study normal and abnormal telomere biology as it relates to cancer initiation and progression, with a particular interest in the Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT) phenotype – a telomerase-independent telomere maintenance mechanism. In addition, we focus on how these findings may be readily translated into accurately predicting cancer risk, early detection, prognosis, and potential response to targeted therapies.