Assistant Professor Da Yang, MD, PhD, received a grant from American Cancer Society (ACS) titled "The regulation of cell cycle by long non-coding RNA in breast cancer." Emerging evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in breast cancer tumorigenesis. Yang’s lab has discovered a group of novel intergenic lncRNA genes named as EPICs, which are significantly overexpressed in breast cancer. In the ACS grant, Yang’s lab will use the state-of-the-art epigenome editing and mass spectrum technologies to test the hypothesis that these EPIC genes are driving breast cancer development and progression. This project will pave the way to develop novel breast cancer therapies that target these novel genes.
