RUSSELL RYAN LAB
Targeting cancer gene regulation in lymphoid malignancies
RESEARCH
Flipping the switch on driver oncogenes
B CELL LEUKEMIAS AND LYMPHOMAS
Our focus is B lineage cancers, including B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common cancer of children, and mature B-cell lymphomas, which are common in adults. These cancers are driven by a combination of lineage and developmental stage-specific gene regulatory programs as well as cancer-specific genetic and epigenetic aberrations.
ONCOGENE ENHANCERS
We use a combination of genome-wide chromatin profiling technologies and high-throughput Cas9-based functional screening approaches to dissect the mechanisms that sustain expression of genes critical for the growth and survival of lymphoid cancers
CANCER DIAGNOSTICS
We are developing new applications for epigenetic, chromatin
and genome topology tools to improve diagnosis and classification
of hematopoietic cancers
Want to learn more about our research projects?
NEWS
What we're up to
CONGRATULATIONS ALEC!
April 2025
Alexander Monovich successfully defended his PhD thesis on
The Role of GGAA Microsatellite Enhancers in B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
BCD COVER!
May 2025
Iyer, Gurumurthy et al., made the cover of Blood Cancer Discovery May 2025 Issue with a Spotlight on the article by Mulet-Lazaro and Delwel.
CONGRATULATIONS ASHWIN!
July 2023
Ashwin Iyer successfully defended his PhD thesis on enhancer dependencies in MYC-intact and MYC-rearranged Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma.
WE'RE MOVING!
September 2018
The Ryan lab is moving from the LSI to our new home on the 4th floor of the Rogel Cancer Center building. We're excited to be located in the heart of the U-M Medical Campus, and to explore collaborations with our new neighbors in Pathology and Hematology-Oncology.
LAB MEMBERS
RUSSELL RYAN, MD
Principal Investigator
AISHWARYA GURUMURTHY, PHD
Research Investigator
ANANYA ROY, PHD
Postdoctoral Research Associate
XUE SONG (SYLVIA)
Lab Manager
Nikita Pai
Undergraduate student
TAMMY KUTTER
Administrative Assistant
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
SELECTIVE ENHANCER DEPENDENCIES IN MYC-INTACT AND MYC-REARRANGED GERMINAL CENTER B-CELL DIFFUSE LARGE B-CELL LYMPHOMA
SELECTIVE ENHANCER DEPENDENCIES IN MYC-INTACT AND MYC-REARRANGED GERMINAL CENTER B-CELL DIFFUSE LARGE B-CELL LYMPHOMA
We used custom high-throughput CRISPR-interference screens to identify essential enhancers in the MYC locus and MYC rearrangement partner loci, identifying novel regulators of MYC expression in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
ETV6 DEFICIENCY UNLOCKS ERG-DEPENDENT MICROSATELLITE ENHANCERS TO DRIVE ABERRANT GENE ACTIVATION IN B-LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA
We identified conversion of GGAA tandem repeat elements into active enhancers as a key mechanism underlying the leukemia-specific gene expression program of a common form of childhood leukemia.
A B CELL REGULOME LINKS NOTCH TO DOWNSTREAM ONCOGENIC PATHWAYS IN SMALL B CELL LYMPHOMAS
We identified Notch as a direct activator of the 5' MYC enhancers in mantle cell lymphoma, and identified a genome-wide set of direct functional Notch target genes relevant to the biology of mantle cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Collaborative work with the laboratories of Dr. Bradley Bernstein, Warren Pear, and Jon Aster.
DETECTION OF ENHANCER-ASSOCIATED REARRANGEMENTS REVEALS MECHANISMS OF ONCOGENE DYSREGULATION IN B-CELL LYMPHOMA
We used a novel approach to simultaneously identify enhancer activity and genomic rearrangements across diverse lymphoma subtypes. In lymphomas lacking rearrangements of the oncogenes MYC and BCL6, lymphoma subtype- and tissue-specific distal enhancers were associated with oncogene activation. Work conducted in the laboratory of Dr. Bradley Bernstein.
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Hi-C FOR GENOME-WIDE DETECTION OF ENHANCER-HIJACKING REARRANGEMENTS IN ROUTINE LYMPHOID CANCER BIOPSIES
We performed FFPE-compatible Hi-C on 44 clinical biopsies comprising large B-cell lymphomas, plasma cell neoplasms, and other diverse lymphoid cancers, identifying consistent topological differences between malignant B cell and plasma cell states
SELECTIVE ENHANCER DEPENDENCIES IN MYC-INTACT AND MYC-REARRANGED GERMINAL CENTER B-CELL DIFFUSE LARGE B-CELL LYMPHOMA
We used custom high-throughput CRISPR-interference screens to identify essential enhancers in the MYC locus and MYC rearrangement partner loci, identifying novel regulators of MYC expression in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
THE DIVERSE ROLES OF ETV6 ALTERATIONS IN B-LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA AND OTHER HEMATOPOIETIC CANCERS
This review surveys what is known about the biochemical and genome regulatory properties of ETV6 as well as our current understanding of how alterations in these functions contribute to hematopoietic and non hematopoietic cancers.
ETV6 DEFICIENCY UNLOCKS ERG-DEPENDENT MICROSATELLITE ENHANCERS TO DRIVE ABERRANT GENE ACTIVATION IN B-LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA
We identified conversion of GGAA tandem repeat elements into active enhancers as a key mechanism underlying the leukemia-specific gene expression program of a common form of childhood leukemia.
A B CELL REGULOME LINKS NOTCH TO DOWNSTREAM ONCOGENIC PATHWAYS IN SMALL B CELL LYMPHOMAS
We identified Notch as a direct activator of the 5' MYC enhancers in mantle cell lymphoma, and identified a genome-wide set of direct functional Notch target genes relevant to the biology of mantle cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Collaborative work with the laboratories of Dr. Bradley Bernstein, Warren Pear, and Jon Aster.
DETECTION OF ENHANCER-ASSOCIATED REARRANGEMENTS REVEALS MECHANISMS OF ONCOGENE DYSREGULATION IN B-CELL LYMPHOMA
We used a novel approach to simultaneously identify enhancer activity and genomic rearrangements across diverse lymphoma subtypes. In lymphomas lacking rearrangements of the oncogenes MYC and BCL6, lymphoma subtype- and tissue-specific distal enhancers were associated with oncogene activation. Work conducted in the laboratory of Dr. Bradley Bernstein.
FORMER LAB MEMBERS
ASHWIN IYER
Now: Senior Scientist, Regeneron
JOSHUA GOLDMAN
Now: Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
ROHAN KODGULE
Now: Hematopathology Fellow, Washington University in St.Loius
ATHALEE AGUILAR
Now: Assistant Specialist, Kinman Lab, UCSF
JUHI GUPTA
Now: Medical School, University of Chicago
CODY HALL
Now: Medical School, Central Michigan University
TRAVIS SAARI
Now: Bioinformatics Core, University of Michigan
ALEXANDER MONOVICH
Now: Development Scientist I, New England Biolabs
PHOTOS
CONTACT US
1500 E Medical Center Dr.
Rogel Cancer Center, Room 4130
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5936
rjhryan [at] med.umich.edu
P: 734-936-2499
F: 734-763-2162
