Dr. Ryan Flynn is tackling a major hurdle in cancer treatment: finding unique markers on the surface of cancer cells that aren\u2019t 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 \u2013 specifically, RNAs and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) \u2013 also appear on the surface of many cancer cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019t mutated or presented as fragments \u2013 they appear as full-length proteins in distinct clusters. Dr. Flynn\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Acute myeloid leukemia, solid tumors, cancer cell markers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Defining Mechanistic Features of Cell Surface RNA-Binding Proteins<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dr. Ryan Flynn is tackling a major hurdle in cancer treatment: finding unique markers on the surface of cancer cells that aren\u2019t present on healthy tissues. These markers are essential for designing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":35411,"template":"","tax_cancer_type":[455],"tax_grant_type":[482],"tax_award_year":[742],"tax_institutions":[530],"tax_location_states":[490],"class_list":["post-35427","cri_scientists","type-cri_scientists","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"scientist_subhead":"Principal Investigator, Stem Cell Program, Boston Children\u2019s Hospital; Assistant Professor of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University","quote":"One of the biggest challenges in cancer research is the need to make bold ideas appear polished and low-risk to secure funding. But real innovation is rarely linear. The STAR award offers the freedom to pursue transformative ideas as they develop and evolve.","scientist_last_name":"Flynn","show_on_landing":true,"scientist_publish_until":"20310612"},"yoast_head":"\nProjects and Grants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n