Jasper Wong

Position/Role

GSAT M.Sc. student (graduation 2019 Dec.)

Contact info

jawong[at]bcgsc.ca

Research interests

Bioinformatics, DNA methylation, Molecular epigenetics, Hematopoiesis, Leukemia

Epigenetic mechanisms underlying DNA methylation dysregulation in acute myeloid leukemia

Heterozygous mutations that impair the demethylase activity of the ten eleven translocation (TET) enzyme family, e.g. in the isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2 (IDH1/2) or TET2 genes, are frequent events in de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We previously showed in a murine AML model that vitamin C can reactivate Tet2 demethylase function, which then drives cellular differentiation. Although both TET2 and TET3 are highly expressed in AML blasts, only TET2 is mutated in AML patients, suggesting a divergent oncogenic relevance. As the role of TET3 in regulating myeloid activation and in leukemogenesis is currently unknown, my aim is to define the individual functions of TET2 and TET3 in these contexts. Therefore, we inactivated both genes individually and in combination in a HoxA9/IDH1R132H murine AML model, where we then specifically activated either Tet2 or Tet3 through addition of the TET co-factor vitamin C. My interest is to parse out the specific functions of the TET family by using vitamin C as a tool to better understand differences between Tet2 and Tet3.

Publications

HNF4A is essential for maintenance of active epigenetic state at enhancers in mouse liver. Hepatology. Avinash Thakur, Jasper C. H. Wong, […], Martin Hirst, and Pamela A Hoodless. (2019). https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.30631

bioSyntax: Syntax Highlighting for Computational Biology.BMC Bioinformatics. Artem Babaian, Anicet Ebou, Alyssa Fegen, Ho Yin Jeffrey Kam, German E Novakovsky, Jasper Wong, Dylan Aissi and Li Yao. (2018). 19: 303. (co-author)