Disease-Defining Molecular Signatures in Childhood Cancer
Lecture date: October 29, 2026
Adam Shlien, PhD
Senior Scientist
The Hospital for Sick Children
The causes of pediatric cancers’ distinctiveness compared to adult-onset tumors of the same type are not completely clear. We developed tools to find RNA-based definitions for most childhood cancers. This tool's potential to be used as a diagnostic aid will be discussed in this talk. I will also discuss the critical mutagenic impact of chemotherapy in childhood cancer using novel DNA-based mutational signatures, showing that therapy is a specific driver of tumour evolution and highlighting future opportunities for treatment de-escalation.
