Michael Wilson, PhD

In 2025, about 69,120 people in the United States will be diagnosed with uterine cancer. Over the past thirty years, this number has steadily grown—especially among young women. When caught early, uterine cancer can often be cured by removing the uterus. However, this is not a good option for younger women who still want to have children. That is why our lab is focused on learning more about uterine cancer and finding new treatment options for these young women. From studying large groups of patients, we found that a gene called KMT2D is mutated more often in tumors from younger women than in those from older women. Using mouse models, we discovered that tumors with KMT2D mutations tend to grow faster and act more aggressively. We compared these findings with patient data and believe tumors with this mutation might respond well to certain drugs. One group of these drugs is called CDK-inhibitors, which are already used to treat breast cancer. Our research suggests these drugs might also work against uterine cancers with KMT2D mutations. So, in this study, we will use our mouse models to learn how KMT2D helps tumors grow, test new drugs on these mice, and compare our results with patient data to see if these treatments could be viable. We have brought together a team of scientists, doctors, and cancer survivors to do this work. If successful, this work could open the door to new, life-changing treatments for young women with uterine cancer.