Discovery of novel artificial transcription factors regulating lung cancer cell invasion and progression

Targeted Therapeutics Research Award
Funded equally by LUNGevity Foundation and American Lung Association National Office
Pilar Blancafort, PhD
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill
NC

Transcription factors are specialized proteins that translate the DNA footprint of cells to make RNA, which eventually helps to make proteins. Dr. Blancafort plans to use artificial transcription factors (ATFs) to identify and regulate genes involved in lung cancer disease progression. This research will lead to the identification of new markers of progression that could be used as early predictors of lung cancer.