We are pleased to announce that Dr. Natalia Bartyś from the Department of Nucleic Acids Bioengineering, headed by Prof. Anna Pasternak, has been granted funding for the project titled “Thermodynamic identification and characterization of G-quadruplex structures in RON protooncogene pre-mRNA ” in the MINIATURA 8 call for proposals by the National Science Center.

The aim of the project is to discover G-quadruplex structures in the proto-oncogene RON pre-mRNA. G-quadruplexes are structures of nucleic acids that are involved in the regulation of many biological processes. Identification of these structures in RON pre-mRNA is particularly interesting for researchers because of their potential involvement in the regulation of alternative splicing. This process leads to the generation of an isoform of the RON protein, which is involved in cancer progression.

Confirmation of the presence of G-quadruplexes, as well as their thermodynamic characterization, will enable the understanding of the function of G-quadruplexes in the alternative splicing of RON pre-mRNA in the future. The team led by Dr. Bartyś hopes that the final goal of their research will be the design of molecular tools targeting the interaction with the G-quadruplex structure, which could be applied in potential anti-cancer therapy.

Congratulations and good luck with your project!