Wallenberg Molecular Medicine Fellow: Cancer
ImageMattias Pettersson
RNA-based gene regulation of cell fate and breast cancer
Our main interest is to decipher novel epigenetic and epitranscriptomic mechanisms affecting global gene expression and their implication in cell fate and cancer initiation and progression with a focus on breast cancer.
RNA is not only an essential intermediate in the flux of genetic information from DNA to proteins, but rather a molecule that plays crucial roles in the regulation of fundamental cellular processes. The transcriptome is reversibly and dynamically regulated by chemical modifications, adding a new layer of complexity and functionality to the emerging roles of RNAs in health and disease. The impact of these modifications has recently begun to be explored within a new field of study: 'Epitranscriptomics'. Providing a new level of knowledge on the interplay between epigenetic and RNA modifications is a requisite for the development of novel promising therapeutic compounds for use in breast cancer patients.