The Carman Li Lab investigates new mechanisms of hereditary cancer development, with a major focus on BRCA1/2 breast cancer. Specifically, we study the causes and consequences of gene-haploinsufficiency effects on tumor formation and explore opportunities for early disease intervention. Insights from these studies can also shed light on the biology and early interception opportunities in non-hereditary cancers. Some key questions include: 1) How do inherited mutations drive hereditary cancer development through gene haploinsufficiency? 2) How do they interact with physiological factors, such as pregnancy, obesity, and aging, to impact cancer risk? 3) How can we leverage these aberrations to discover biomarkers and therapeutic targets for early interception of both hereditary and non-hereditary cancers? We tackle these questions using cutting-edge tools, including genetically engineered mouse models, 3D organoid cultures, patient sample analyses, and single-cell omics technologies. Our long-term goal is to establish a unifying framework for hereditary cancer biology that also informs the early detection and treatment of non-hereditary cancers.