Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, but other than surgery and percutaneous ablation methods for small tumors, no effective therapy exists for the majority of patients. We have identified several microRNAs that can serve as prognostic biomarkers for HCC. Further functional analysis has revealed that miR-494 acts as a master regulator of HCC vascular invasion by targeting the TET1 methylcytosine dioxygenase. Inhibition of miR-494 in vitro decreases metastatic and invasive potential. Our approach to the functional dissection of clinically relevant gene expression signatures demonstrates how potentially marketable therapeutic interventions can be rapidly identified.

About the speaker

Christopher Taylor Barry, MD, PhD is a transplant surgeon, translational scientist, and entrepreneur currently living in Rochester, NY. Trained at Stanford and the UC-San Francisco, he has served on the faculty at UC San Diego and the University of Rochester. His research interests are liver cancer and fatty liver disease.

Date and Time: June 26th, 2014, 10:30-12:00

Venue: Room P203, Experiment Building