Keratinocyte cancers and skin ageing
Both long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) and microRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in organismal development, tissue differentiation and ageing, with potential to transform our understanding of disease mechanisms and clinical practices. Our research focuses on the understanding of the role of non-coding RNAs in skin ageing and keratinocyte-cancers, with focus on cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
Description
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the most common human cancer with metastatic potential. Although most cSCCs can be fully cured with surgical excision, a subset of cSCC is metastatic and associated with poor prognosis.
Our overarching aim is to understand the role of non-coding RNAs, important regulators of cell differentiation and organ development, in the pathogenesis of the disease. Via the systematic molecular analysis of patient-derived samples from tumors and precancerous lesions, and in vitro and in vivo cancer models, we aim to understand their role in the development and progression of the disease.
We have recently identified a set of highly skin-specific non-coding RNAs, whose functions are unknown and may hold the key to the understanding of skin development. We also investigate the function and mode of action of cSCC-associated non-coding RNAs. We are currently also studying the role of non-coding RNAs with putative oncogenic function in the disease. In addition to cSCC, we have an interest in the molecular background of another keratinocyte-derived cancer, basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Better understanding of the function of keratinocyte cancer-associated non-coding RNAs will lay the foundations of future work using them as therapeutic targets by novel RNA-based therapeutics.
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