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 goal of the Kasinski Lab is to determine the molecular contribution of non-coding RNAs (microRNAs, lncRNA, circRNAs), to elucidate how these RNAs work to regulate each other 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:
- Ligand-mediated delivery of therapeutically relevant small RNAs
- Endogenous delivery of RNAs through secreted vesicles, such as exosomes
- High throughput screening for small molecule inhibitors that alter miRNA biogenesis
- Identification of miRNAs and protein-coding genes mediating drug resistance
- Determining miRNAs that drive cellular transformation and those that tumor cells are addicted to
- Identifying competitive endogenous inhibitors of miRNAs