Many aggressive blood cancers become resistant to immunotherapy by altering the activity of genes involved in immune recognition. However, scientists still have only a limited understanding of the hidden molecular mechanisms that regulate these immune-related genes.
Dr. Sahan’s research combines cancer biology, engineering, and molecular signaling. Her previous work uncovered how physical properties of tissues influence cancer behavior and led to the development of advanced biosensors capable of tracking cellular metabolism and signaling with remarkable precision.
Her project investigates how a poorly understood class of RNA molecules controls immune-related gene expression in aggressive blood cancers. Dr. Sahan believes that interactions between RNAs and other molecules inside cancer cells may contribute to immune evasion and resistance to treatment.
Using a new technology developed in the laboratory, she will generate a detailed map of RNA interactions across more than 20 types of blood cancer and identify molecular pathways that could be targeted therapeutically. This work could reveal an entirely new layer of cancer biology and help establish a future generation of RNA-based immunotherapies designed to overcome treatment resistance and restore anti-cancer immune responses.
Mentor
Chuan He, PhD
Projects and Grants
Mapping the chromatin-associated snoRNA-RNA interactome to define emerging transcriptional control in leukemia
