Jennifer Brigitte Jacob

My research aims to find the genetic factors that control the development of cancer by combining genetic data from genetically diverse mice (Diversity Outbred or DO) with single-cell RNA sequencing data from models of spontaneous mammary tumors. These diverse mouse models help us find specific genetic areas (QTL) that influence cell transformation, tumor growth and immune response. We identify important genes within these areas, confirm them in mice, and compare them with human cancer survival data. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we can also identify the specific cell types involved and potential targets for treatment, which lead to development of new intervention strategies.