Abstract:  Most cancer cells have changes in the number and structure of their chromosomes which can drive cancer development. We have begun to study particular types of rearranged chromosomes - “dicentric” chromosomes - which are commonly formed in cancer cells and implicated in driving cancer and in response to treatment, but which are surprisingly understudied. I will discuss how dicentric chromosomes may contribute to genome instability and cancer, and describe our unpublished work on the mechanisms by which a Robertsonian dicentric chromosome predisposes to the development of chromothripsis and childhood ALL.

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