Dr. ANDREA KASINSKI

Associate Professor
765-496-1658
HANSB054B
akasinski@purdue.edu

Associated website(s):

PROFESSIONAL FACULTY RESEARCH

(Cancer and Molecular Biology) Identifying roles for microRNAs in cancer development and progression and using this knowledge for clinical applications.

BIO

Greater than 90% of the human genome is transcribed, yet the functional role for most transcripts is unknown. Many of these unknown transcripts fall into a class of RNAs referred to as non-coding RNAs. The general goal of the Kasinski Lab is to determine the molecular contribution of non-coding RNAs (microRNAs, lncRNA, circRNAs) in normal and disease cells, and to capitalize on this knowledge through developing RNA-based therapeutics. The current projects in the Kasinski lab are subdivided into the following:

Project 1: Ligand-mediated delivery of therapeutically relevant small RNAs

Project 2: Endogenous delivery of RNAs through secreted extracellular vesicles (ie. exosomes)

Project 3: High throughput screening for small molecule inhibitors that alter miRNA biogenesis

Project 4: Identification of miRNAs and protein-coding genes mediating drug resistance

Education and Training

2003-2009 - PhD, Emory University
2009-2013 - Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale University

Awards

2018, Purdue University, Department of Biological Sciences’ Team Award
2018, Purdue University, Seed for Success – for obtaining external sponsored award of $1 million or more, NIH-R01CA226259
2018, Purdue University, Seed for Success – for obtaining external sponsored award of $1 million or more, NIH-R01CA205420
2018, American Cancer Society, Research Scholar Awardee, gratefully declined
2017, American Cancer Society, Research Scholar Awardee
2015, Favorite Faculty Nominee, Purdue University
2015, Student Loan Repayment Program, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institutes
2013, Pathway to Independence Award, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institutes
2013, Benjamin F. Trump Award, Aspen Cancer Conference
2013, Aspen Cancer Fellow
2012, Pilot Grant, Yale Center for Molecular Discovery
2012, Student Loan Repayment Program, National Institutes of Health
2012, Women in Cancer Research Scholar, American Association of Cancer Research
2011, Postdoctoral Fellowship, American Cancer Society
2010, Postdoctoral Fellowship, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute
2008, Graduate Student Research Festival, National Institutes of Health

Relevant Publications

Elshafie, N., do Nascimento, N., Lichti, N., Kasinski A.L., Childress, M., Santos, A. ( 2021 ) MicroRNA biomarkers in canine diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Veterinary Pathology 2021 Jan;58(1):34-41
Li, W., Wang, Y., Liu, R., Kasinski, A.L., Shen, H., Slack, F.J., and Tang, D.G. ( 2021 ) MicroRNA-34a (miR-34a): Potent Tumor Suppressor, Cancer Stem Cell Inhibitor and Potential Anti-Cancer Therapeutic , Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 9:640587.
Abdelaal, A.M., and Kasinski, A.L. ( 2021 ) Ligand-mediated delivery of RNAi-based therapeutics for the treatment of oncological diseases. Nucleic Acids Research Cancer, Jul 2-;3(3):zcabb030
Pal, A.S., Bains, M., Agredo, A., Kasinski A.L. ( 2020 ) Identification of microRNAs that promote erlotinib resistance in non-small cell lung cancer Biochemical Pharmacology 2020 Jul 16:114154
Li, C., Kasinski A.L. (2020) In vivo cancer-based functional genomics. Trends in Cancer 2020 Dec;6(12):1002-1017
Myoung, S., and Kasinski, A.L. ( 2019 ) MicroRNAs in Diseases and Disorders – Emerging Therapeutic Targets. Chapter 14: Strategies for safe and targeted delivery of microRNA therapeutics. Royal Society of Chemistry. 386-415 May 2019
Orellana E.A., Li, C., Lisevick, A., and Kasinski, A.L . (2019) Identification and validation of microRNAs that synergize with miR-34a – a basis for combinatorial microRNA therapeutics . Cell Cycle, July 2019, http://doi.org/10.1080/1538410...
Orellana, E.A., Abdelaal, A.H., Rangasamy, R., Tenneti, S., Myoung, S., Low, P.S., Kasinski, A.L. ( 2019 ) Enhancing microRNA activity through increased endosomal release mediated by nigericin. Molecular Therapy: Nucleic Acids, Vol 16, 505-518
Kasinski, A.L. ( 2019 ) Combatting PDAC with two tumor-targeting small RNAs. Oncotarget 2019; 10:5892-5893
Orellana, E.A., Kasinski, A.L. ( 2017 ) No vehicle, no problem . Oncotarget. 2017 Oct27;8(57):96470-96471
Rangasamy, L., Venkatesh, C., Kanduluru, A.K., Srinivasaro, M., Bandara, A. You, F., Orellana, E.A., Kasinski, A.L. , Low, P.S. (2017) New mechanism for release of endosomal contents: osmotic lysis via nigericin-mediated K ⁺ /H ⁺ exchange. Under review
Pal, A.S., Kasinski, A.L. (2017) Animal models to study microRNA function . Advances in Cancer Research 135:53-118
Orellana, E.A., Tenneti, S., Rangasamy, L., Lyle, L.T., Low, P.S., Kasinski, A.L. (2017) FolamiRs: Ligand-targeted, vehicle-free delivery of microRNAs for the treatment of cancer . Science Translational Medicine, August 2; 9(401):eaam9327
Gilbert-Ross, M., Konen, J., Koo, J., Shupe, J., Robinson, B.S., Wiles 4th, W.G., Huang, C., Martin, W.D., Behera, M., Smith, G.H., Hill, C.E., Rossi, M.R., Sica, G.L., Rupji, M., Chen, Z., Kowalski, J., Kasinski, A.L. , Ramalingam, S.S., Fu, H., Khuri, F.R., Zhou, W., Marcus, A.I. (2017) Targeting adhesion signaling in KRAS, LKB1 mutant lung adenocarcinoma . JCI Insight, March 9; 2(5):e90487
Orellana, E.A., Kasinski, A.L. (2016) Sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay in cell culture to investigate cell proliferation . Bio-Protocol, November 5; 6(21) pii:e1984
Orellana, E.A., Kasinski, A.L. (2015) MicroRNAs in cancer: A historical perspective on the path from discovery to therapy . Cancers, July 27; 7(3):1388-1405
Kasinski, A.L. , Kelnar, K., Stahlhut, C., Orellana, E., Zhao, J., Shimer, E., Dysart, S., Chen, X., Bader, A.G., Slack, F.J. (2015) A combinatorial microRNA therapeutics approach to suppressing non-small cell lung cancer . Oncogene, July; 34(27):3547-3555
Zeiger, E., Gollapudi, B., Aardema, M.J., Auerbach, S., Boverhof, D., Custer, L., Dedon, P., Honma, M., Ishida, S., Kasinski, A.L. , Kim, J.H., Manjanatha, M.G., Marlowe, J., Pfuhler, S., Pogribny, I., Slikker, W., Stankowski, Jr., L.F., Tanir, J.Y., Tice, R., van Benthem, J., White, P., Witt., K.L, Thybaud, V. (2015) Opportunities to integrate new approaches in genetic toxicology: An ILSI-HESI workshop report . Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis, April; 56(3):277-285
Humphrey, S.E., Kasinski, A.L. (2015) RNA-guided CRISPR-Cas technologies for genome-scale investigation of disease processes . Journal of Hematology & Oncology, April 2; 8:31
*Adams, B.D., * Kasinski, A.L. , Slack, F.J. (2014) Aberrant regulation and function of microRNAs in cancer. Current Biology, August 18; 24(16):R762-R776 *co-first author
Kasinski, A. , Dong, X., Khuri, F.R., Boss, J., Fu, H. (2014) Transcriptional regulation of YWHAZ, the gene encoding 14-3-3ζ. PLoS One, April 1; 9(4):e93480
* Kasinski, A. , *Slack, F.J. (2013) Small RNAs deliver a blow to ovarian cancer . Cancer Discovery, Nov; 3(11):1220-1221 *co-corresponding authors
Kasinski, A.L. , Slack, F.J. (2013) Generation of mouse lung epethelial cells. Bio-Protocol, August 5; 3(15):e837
Kasinski, A.L., Slack, F.J. (2012) miRNA-34 prevents cancer initiation and progression in a therapeutically resistant K-ras and p53-induced mouse model of lung adenocarcinoma. Cancer Research, Nov 1; 72(21):5576-5587
Kasinski, A.L., Slack, F.J. (2012) Arresting the culprit: targeted antagomir delivery to sequester oncogenic miR-221 in HCC. Molecular Therapy – Nucleic Acids, March 20; 1(3):e12
Kasinski, A.L., Slack, F.J. (2011) M icroRNAs en route to the clinic: progress in validating and targeting miRNAs for cancer therapy. Nature Reviews Cancer, Nov 24; 11(12):849-864
Kim, M., Kasinski, A.L., Slack, F.J. (2011) MicroRNA therapeutics in pre-clinical cancer models. Lancet Oncology, Apr;12(4):319-321
Kasinski, A.L., Slack, F.J. (2010) Potential microRNA therapies targeting Ras, NF Κ B and p53 signaling. Current Opinion in Molecular Therapeutics, Apr; 12(2):147-157

Invited and Selected Presentations

Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, June 2022
RNA-mediated silencing, Barbados, January 2022
Decoding microRNA Mysteries in Health and Disease, University of Illinois College of Dentistry, September 2021
Purdue Women in Science Program, West Lafayette, IN, November 2020
Manchester University, North Manchester IN, September 2020
Indo-UK Conference on Current Innovations and Future of Therapeutic Developments, Virtual Conference, June 2020
mRNA Untranslated Regions in Gene Regulation, Development, and Disease, Barbados, January 2020
Roswell Park Cancer Institute, The University of Buffalo, Developmental Therapeutics Seminar Series, January 2020
Mahidol University, Bangkok Thailand, March 2019
Keynote Speaker, 19th Annual Fellow’s Colloquium, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MA, February 2019
5 ^th Annual International Conference on Drug Discovery, Development and Lead Optimization, Boston MA, November 2019
Purdue Science Student Council, West Lafayette, IN October 2019
Purdue Center for Cancer Research, CIS series, West Lafayette IN, February 2019
Keynote, Purdue Relay for Life’s Hope Gala, West Lafayette, IN, February 2019
Biden Cancer Summit, Purdue 150th Anniversary Celebration, West Lafayette, IN, September 2018
Keynote, NSF-Funded Science Outreach, Carnegie Museum, Crawfordsville, IN, April 2018
FASEB SRC: Post-transcriptional control of gene expression, Scottsdale AZ, June 2018
Midwest Chromatin and Epigenetics Meeting, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, June 2018
University of Montreal, February 2018
2nd International Aegean Conference on the Long and the Short of Non-Coding RNAs, Heraklion, Crete, Greece, June 9, 2017
22nd Annual Meeting of the RNA Society, Prague, Czech Republic, May 30, 2017
American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, April 1, 2017
Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology, Banff, Alberta Canada, February 7, 2017
6th International Symposium on Folate Receptors, Breckenridge, CO, September 19, 2016
American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 16, 2016
Experimental Biology, San Diego, April 5, 2016
3rd Annual Summit on Thoracic Malignancies and Head and Neck Cancer, Puerto Rico, December 10, 2015
Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology, Denver, CO, June 7, 2015
microRNA as Biomarkers and Diagnostics, Cambridge, MA, March 16, 2015
2nd Annual Lung Cancer Summit, Dallas, TX, December 12, 2014
microRNA World Conference, Boston, MA, October 27, 2014
Aspen Cancer Conference, Aspen, Co, July 15, 2013
NIH Lung SPORE Workshop, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, July 11, 2013
Department of Molecular Pathology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston Tx, April 5, 2013
Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston Tx, March 26, 2013
Departments of Hematology and Medical Oncology, and Radiation Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga, March 13, 2013
Department of Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, December 12, 2012
The 4 ^th Japanese Association for RNAi International Symposium, Hiroshima, Japan, August 30, 2012
Thoracic Oncology Board, Emory University, Atlanta GA, May 1, 2012
ILIS Health and Environmental Science Institute, Silver Springs MD, April 24, 2012
American Association of Cancer Research Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, April 2, 2012
Eighth Annual microRNA in Human Disease and Development Meeting, Cambridge Healthtech, Cambridge, MA, March 12, 2012

Current Grant Funding

R01 NCI - CA205420 "Enhancing miRNA Therapeutics Through Combinatorial Targeting and Vehicle-Free Delivery"
R00 NCI - CA178091 "Identification and Therapeutic Application of miRNA Drivers in Lung Cancer"
RSG-17-198-01, American Cancer Society "Enhancing microRNA Therapeutics Through Vehicle-Free Delivery"