Previously Funded Research

Luisa Escobar-Hoyos, MSc, PhD

Yale University

Research Project:

Altered RNA splicing as a driver of Osimertinib resistance in lung cancer

Summary:

Resistance to Osimertinib is a significant challenge with 40-50% of cases lacking a clear genetic cause. This project will investigate whether alternative pre-mRNA splicing (AS) – a process where cells alter RNA to change protein production – might explain this resistance. Lung cancers are known to have widespread changes in AS compared to healthy tissue, suggesting it could play a role. This research will explore how AS differs in resistant vs. sensitive cancers and test whether blocking AS with a drug can restore sensitivity to Osimertinib, potentially leading to new treatment strategies for resistant lung cancers.