Cancer Research
Oxidative stress-induced cellular survival pathways in colorectal cancer health disparities:
One of the most common cancers worldwide is colorectal cancer (CRC), with western countries being the most affected. Among Hispanics, CRC accounted for 12% and 8% of all estimated new cases of cancer in men and women, respectively, in 2018. Human CRC has often been attributed to various environmental and lifestyle factors. The association between oxidative stress and CRC has become an interesting area of study during the last decade, with the identification of numerous genetic and lifestyle factors that can affect an individual’s ability to respond to oxidative stress. The overall goal of this project is to a) link oxidative stress and survival pathway genes to CRC with the help of machine learning approaches; b) to identify if these genes are differentially expressed in Hispanics when compared to NHWs, and c) to provide essential information for accurate interpretation of future research on oxidative stress and CRC risk in Hispanics.
Analyzing RNA-Seq data for identifying differentially expressed mRNAs and miRNAs, and the signaling pathways involved, using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA):
We are analyzing RNA-Seq data from different organisms to identify differentially expressed genes using tools such as DESeq and EdgeR. We are working on understanding the role of androgen receptors in Prostate cancer as well as the role of miRNAs in Breast cancer and Thyroid cancer and the role of Doppel related pathways in Ovarian cancer. We are also working on identifying miRNAs and their targets involved in Immune response and Diabetes. The goal is to connect the miRNAs/mRNAs to different signaling pathways, using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA), in order to understand the role of these molecules in different human diseases.