Video
Yardena Samuels on RASA2 as Prognostic Biomarker in Melanoma
Author(s):
Yardena Samuels, PhD, Tenured Associate Professor, Department of Moleular Cell Biology, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, discuses her lab’s discovery of a potential prognostic biomarker in cutaneous sporadic melanoma.
Yardena Samuels, PhD, Tenured Associate Professor, Department of Moleular Cell Biology, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, discuses her lab’s discovery of a potential prognostic biomarker in cutaneous sporadic melanoma.
Using a database of over 500 exomes and genomes, Samuels lab is functionally evaluating mutations in melanoma. This is to determine that the mutation is actually a driver, and to better understand what inhibitors work against it.
They have discovered a new tumor suppressor gene called RASA2. This inhibits RAS, one of the most important oncogenes, says Samuels.
Over 30% of patients lose the expression of RASA2, which is correlated with reduced survival, making RASA2 a prognostic biomarker, says Samuels.
