Abstract: Cancers evolve under the influence of diverse mutational processes that leave characteristic imprints on the genome, reflecting underlying DNA damage and repair mechanisms. Using large-scale sequencing data, we have uncovered how specific mutational signatures shape tumour development and influence clinical phenotypes in oesophageal and breast cancers. Building on these insights, we are now extending the study of mutagenesis into space - applying spatial transcriptomics to map how these processes manifest in the context of the tissue microenvironment. I will present ongoing work integrating mutational signatures with spatially resolved gene expression, highlighting how spatial heterogeneity in DNA damage responses and repair pathway activity may influence local tumour behaviour and stress response, including proliferation and cell cycle arrest decisions. I will also introduce our computational frameworks, EnrichMap and SpottedPy, designed to enable functional and dynamic interpretation of spatial transcriptomic data. Together, these approaches aim to connect the molecular footprints of mutagenesis to their spatial and functional consequences in cancer.

Back to event list

By: Paula Amiet-West
Last updated: Tuesday, 14 October 2025