Core Research Pillars for DEAR Lab
Core Pillar 01
We investigate the diverse roles of long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs in cancer, focusing on how they regulate gene expression, cellular plasticity, tumour progression, and therapy resistance. Our special focus includes MALAT1, NEAT1, MEG3, HOTAIR, H19, and miR-21, with the aim of deciphering their regulatory networks and identifying RNA-driven vulnerabilities that can be therapeutically explored.
Core Pillar 02
We seek to understand how RNA molecules interact with mRNAs and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) to establish complex regulatory networks governing cellular function and disease. A particular focus of our work is the relationship between RNA secondary structures and RNP formation, exploring how structural features of RNA influence molecular interactions, RNA fate, and downstream cellular responses.
Core Pillar 03
The intersection of mechanobiology and RNA biology remains a largely unexplored frontier. We investigate how mechanical cues from the tumour microenvironment - including matrix stiffness, cellular forces, and mechanical stress - regulate non-coding RNAs. A key emphasis of our research is to discover and unravel mechano-sensing lncRNAs and understand how these previously underexplored RNA-mediated mechanisms enable cancer cells to sense, adapt to, and respond to their physical environment.
Core Pillar 04
We develop tumoroid and organoid models of specific cancer types to recreate key features of the tumour microenvironment in physiologically relevant systems. These models enable us to investigate cancer-specific mechanisms, cellular interactions, RNA regulation, disease progression, and therapeutic responses, while providing a platform to bridge fundamental discoveries with translational applications.
Partnerships
Dept. of Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay
Mechano-sensing and cancer resistance.
Dept. of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay
Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, IISc Bangalore
Mechano-sensing lncRNA transcriptomics study in glioblastoma.
Dept. of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, NUCSER, Nitte (Deemed to be University)
Single-cell transcriptomics to decipher cell-population-specific effects in glioblastoma.
University of Western Australia (UWA) - Medical School, UWA Centre for Medical Research, School of Human Sciences; Australian Centre for RNA Therapeutics in Cancer
Mechano-sensing NEAT1 lncRNA and paraspeckle biology in glioblastoma.
Dept. of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Analysis, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga
Small-molecule based therapeutic targeting to block angiogenesis in breast cancer.
ACTREC, Tata Memorial Centre
LncRNAs in breast cancer.
ACTREC, Tata Memorial Centre
The University of Western Australia
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga
NUCSER, NITTE (Deemed to be University)
NITTE (Deemed to be University)
Anusandhan National Research Foundation
Vision Group on Science and Technology (VGST)