Wendy Beguelin, PhD

My laboratory investigates how somatic mutations in genes encoding chromatin-modifying proteins drive B-cell lymphoma by reprogramming both malignant cells and the immune microenvironment. We focus on lymphomas arising from the germinal center, where epigenetic regulation is essential for coordinating B-cell function and immune cell interactions.
We define the normal roles of these epigenetic regulators in germinal center biology and determine how lymphoma-associated mutations alter B-cells and their communication with T-cells, macrophages, and other immune and stromal populations to establish a tumor-supportive niche. Our studies combine genetically engineered mouse models with bulk and single-cell genomic and epigenomic profiling, three-dimensional chromatin analyses, and advanced in vivo imaging.
Our work is strongly translational. Mechanistic discoveries are used to identify vulnerabilities in malignant B-cells and in the lymphoma microenvironment, enabling the rational design and testing of combination therapies that target both tumor-intrinsic and microenvironmental dependencies. Our preclinical findings inform the design of biomarker-driven clinical trials.