Dr. Ryan Flynn is tackling a major hurdle in cancer treatment: finding unique markers on the surface of cancer cells that aren’t present on healthy tissues. These markers are essential for designing safe and effective immunotherapies. Surprisingly, his lab discovered that molecules traditionally thought to exist only inside cells – specifically, RNAs and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) – also appear on the surface of many cancer cells.
These cell-surface RBPs are found across both blood cancers like acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and various solid tumors. They have even been linked to immune responses in patients who went into remission after immunotherapy, suggesting that cell-surface RBPs may play an active role in immune recognition. Unlike typical cancer targets, cell-surface RBPs aren’t mutated or presented as fragments – they appear as full-length proteins in distinct clusters. Dr. Flynn’s work now focuses on understanding the function of cell-surface RBPs in tumors and uncovering how they are selectively displayed by cancer cells. This may not only reveal new biology about the cancer cell surface, but also unlock powerful new strategies for targeted treatment that spare healthy tissues.
Research Focus
Acute myeloid leukemia, solid tumors, cancer cell markers
Projects and Grants
Defining Mechanistic Features of Cell Surface RNA-Binding Proteins
