Alice Berger

Alice Berger is an Associate Professor in the Human Biology Division and the Herbold Computational Biology Program within the Public Health Sciences Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. She is also a Member of the Translational Data Science Integrated Research Center (TDS IRC) at Fred Hutch. Her work bridges computational biology, functional genomics, and cancer research with a focus on translating discoveries into clinical applications.

Education:

• Cornell University, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences, PhD (2011)
• University of Virginia, BS in Chemistry (2003)

Dr. Berger's research focuses on discovering how genetic changes lead to cancer, with particular emphasis on lung adenocarcinoma. Her laboratory combines functional genomics, computational biology, biochemistry, and genetics to systematically uncover molecular alterations in cancer, determine the function of variant alleles, and understand how these variants modulate response to targeted or immune-based therapies. A significant portion of her work centers on the RIT1 gene and its role in tumor formation, as well as developing high-throughput methods to assess the functional consequences of genetic variants. She aims to identify drug targets and biomarkers that can be translated into clinical benefits for cancer patients.

Analysis of Dr. Berger's recent publications reveals a strong focus on lung cancer genomics, particularly studying the RIT1 oncogene and its interactions with other signaling pathways. Her work increasingly integrates computational approaches with experimental validation to understand variant function at scale. There's a clear progression from basic discovery of cancer mutations to developing methods for functional assessment and identifying therapeutic vulnerabilities, demonstrating her commitment to translating basic science into clinical applications.

Advising and Research Leadership:

Dr. Berger leads an active research laboratory with numerous postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and research technicians. Her mentoring spans computational and experimental approaches to cancer research, with former trainees securing positions at leading institutions and biotechnology companies. Her lab's work is supported by significant research funding that enables high-throughput genomic approaches and translational studies.

Laboratory and Collaborations:

The Berger Lab at Fred Hutch is situated at the intersection of cancer biology and computational genomics. The lab develops and applies innovative high-throughput methods to assess the functional impact of cancer mutations. Dr. Berger maintains strong connections with clinical oncologists to ensure her research addresses clinically relevant questions. Her laboratory collaborates extensively with other research groups at Fred Hutch and beyond, contributing to larger consortia studying lung cancer genomics and precision oncology.