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Our group is devoted to genome analysis with the aim of extracting information on the genotypic determinants of cancer.

Cancer is in essence a genetic disease in which gatekeeping pathways directly involved in cell proliferation have undergone tumorigenic mutations. This status is reached by means of an increased instability of the cancer genome. The aftermath is a perturbed system where the neoplastic cells have gained the ability of clonal expansion. Cancer progression is therefore ruled by the principles of natural selection: the neoplastic cell has acquired a selective advantage over the normal cell, as it is able to escape growth control.When looking at cancer from this perspective, the study of genome evolution can significantly contribute to the general picture of the molecular forces driving cancer progression.

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