Pre-malignant States:
Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential (CHIP)

Prevalence of Somatic Mutations by Age
Jaiswal, et al., NEJM 2014

We have found that some of the same mutations commonly associated with hematologic malignancies can be found in the blood of otherwise healthy individuals.  This phenomenon, termed Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential (CHIP), is associated with age, an increased risk of developing a hematologic malignancy, increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, therapy-related myeloid malignancies, and venous thrombosis.  Our lab investigates the genetics of CHIP, its biological consequences, and its impact on both malignant and non-malignant human disease.

Clonal Expansion in MDS
​Sperling, et al., Nature Rev. Cancer, 2017