Stephen Finn

About Stephen Finn

Identifying non-coding RNA repertoires of aggressive prostate cancer

Genetic information flows from genes on DNA as follows: gene (DNA)?RNA?protein. RNAs, which are the products of DNA, either give rise to proteins (coding RNAs) or donot produce proteins (non-coding RNAs). However, these non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are functional molecules that perform specialized roles in the cell, such as regulation of gene expression. Many ncRNAs have recently been shown to play important roles in various types of cancer.

Recent reports have provided evidence for the role of small ncRNAs in the development and progression of prostate cancer. Dr. Stephen Finn proposes to identify the ncRNA repertoire associated with aggressive prostate cancer (defined by failure to respond to Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT); disease specific mortality etc.). He will then validate the ncRNA profile in tissue samples and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from patients to confirm their association with aggressive prostate cancer. Dr. Finn’s research will identify the role of ncRNAs in aggressive prostate cancer and correlate these to prostate cancer-specific outcome, laying the groundwork for the design of novel ncRNA-targeting therapeutics. These studies will also provide reliable biomarkers of aggressiveness which can help in patient stratification for therapy and more efficient disease monitoring.