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TITLE

Exploring Ultrashort Single-Stranded Cell-Free DNA in Plasma

SPEAKER

Dr. Jordan Cheng

INSTITUTE

University of California Los Angeles, School of Dentistry

SUMMARY

Jordan Cheng is currently a doctoral candidate at the UCLA School of Dentistry, Oral Biology Ph.D. program. Under the mentorship of Dr. David Wong, his research is focused on the emerging field of “Liquid Biopsy” which aims to solve unmet clinical needs in cancer treatment monitoring, early detection, and disease progression. Specifically, he is interested in examining a novel population of ultrashort single-stranded cell-free DNA (uscfDNA) in biofluids such as plasma and saliva. The origins of uscfDNA are currently unclear but the eventual understanding of the attributes of uscfDNA may position it to be a useful discriminating biomarker for early cancer screening. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, Jordan completed his B.Sc. and D.M.D. degree at the University of British Columbia, Canada. He is a recipient of the National Cancer Institute’s Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Fellow Transition Award (F99/K00) which support doctoral students with a strong interest in pursuing careers as independent cancer researchers. Jordan’s long-term goal is to continue to augment his skills in molecular biology and bioinformatics in order develop expertise in in cancer diagnostics and biology.