Daniel Bruhm
The high mortality rate associated with cancer is, in part, due to diagnosis at late-stage disease. Unfortunately, there are currently no available screening tests for most cancer types. For those with screening modalities, several challenges have emerged, such as false positives and negatives and low adherence. In healthy individuals, DNA is released in the blood, which we refer to as cell-free DNA. When an individual has cancer, tumor cells also release cell-free DNA into the blood, termed circulating tumor DNA, providing a potential blood-based avenue for early cancer detection. To this end, I developed a prototype blood test for screening for multiple cancer types that requires a single tube of blood. The approach uses cost-efficient sequencing of cell-free DNA and machine learning of mutation frequencies across the genome to predict whether an individual has cancer. As a proof-of-concept demonstration of the approach, we detected cancers of the lung, liver, skin and white blood cells. This work was done in the Cancer Genomics Lab and was jointly supervised by Victor Velculescu and Rob Scharpf.
Questions & Answers
Why did you choose Johns Hopkins for your work?
Initially, I was attracted to Johns Hopkins by the work being done in the Cancer Genomics Lab. After undergrad, I had the privilege of joining the lab as a research technologist for several years. Because of the cutting-edge liquid biopsy research being done by the group, the rigorous training opportunities provided by the Human Genetics and Genomics program, and the culture that Hopkins has fostered, I stayed on for my graduate work.
What does receiving this award mean to you personally and professionally? Do you have any connection with the particular award you received?
Receiving the Claude and Barbara Migeon Research Award is a great honor. While I never met Claude, Barbara founded and was actively involved in the Human Genetics graduate program that I belong to. Her lifelong dedication to genetics is inspiring. Receiving this award after years of dedicated work has validated my efforts and encouraged me to continue pursuing challenging problems.
What contributed to your project’s success?
My mentors for this project, Victor Velculescu and Rob Scharpf, tackle challenging problems, are persistent and dedicated, and foster exceptionally high-quality work. Working alongside them has taught me the value of rigorous research and gave me the tools to spearhead this project. Having extensive prior computational experience enabled me to focus more on the question at hand rather than learning the experimental techniques.
What thoughts do you have about Young Investigators’ Day itself, as a celebration of the roles students and fellows play in research at Johns Hopkins?
Research can be as challenging as it is rewarding, especially for those of us who are just getting started. By taking the time to celebrate some of the many achievements of students and fellows, Johns Hopkins is not only
acknowledging our contributions but encouraging us to produce high-quality work.
What has been your best/most memorable experience while at Johns Hopkins?
The people I’ve met here will be what I remember most about my time at Johns Hopkins. Whether we’re discussing research, playing music or meeting in Patterson Park, the community around me has been fun, supportive and down to earth.
What are your plans for the next year or so? Graduating, looking for faculty positions, etc.?
Finishing up my Ph.D. and transitioning to a postdoc, where I will continue my research. Cancer hasn’t been cured yet!
Tell me something interesting about yourself that makes you unique. Do you have any special hobbies, interests or life experiences?
I’m a pretty stereotypical Canadian. Growing up, I helped make maple syrup and worked as a lumberjack for my family’s sawmill. I’m also the first from my family to graduate from university.