CancerQuest | Interview with Dr. Allan Balmain

Dr. Allan Balmain
Barbara Bass Bakar Distinguished Professorship in Cancer Genetics Co-Leader, Cancer Genetics Program
Director, Genome Analysis Core Facility
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

Dr. Balmain studies the step-wise fashion in which cancer develops. By looking at cancer development he works to identify genes that help cancer to develop or prevent cancer. In this interview he talks with us about his research and the use of animal models to study human disease.

Questions and Answers

	About Dr. Balmain(Time: 49 sec)
	How did you first become interested in research as a career?(Time: 2 min 56 sec)
	What is your current research focus?(Time: 1 min 07 sec)
	How is a person's cancer susceptibility related to their genetic background?(Time: 1 min 26 sec)
	What are high penetrance and low penetrance genes and how do they influence cancer risk?(Time: 1 min 47 sec)
	What is the model of multi-stage carcinogenesis and how has this concept been modified?(Time: 4 min 14 sec)
	What are tumor modifier genes and how do they influence cancer risk?(Time: 22 sec)
	Describe your strategy for identifying tumor modifier genes.(Time: 2 min 1 sec)
	On what types of cancer do you focus?(Time: 1 min 44 sec)
	Why are mouse models useful in this area of research?(Time: 41 sec)
	How can mouse model studies be used in the development of new cancer treatments?(Time: 1 min 16 sec)
	Are there any limitations in using mouse models for research that will be applied to humans?(Time: 1 min 42 sec)
	What do you believe to be the most important recent discoveries in the field of cancer genetics?(Time: 43 sec)
	What do you see as the future of this research and its applications for patients?(Time: 3 min 32 sec)
	Do you have any advice for students interested in entering this area of biomedical research?(Time: 2 min 59 sec)