Washington University in St. Louis (WU)
The overall goal of our research program is “Precision Medicine for Prostate Cancer: Developing novel therapeutics to prevent metastasis by targeting critical transcriptional networks”. The goal is to identify and characterize novel epigenetic readers/modifiers/transcription factors promoting drug resistance and metastasis of prostate cancers (PC). We have identified key transcription factor (TF) regulated networks driving proliferation of metastatic PCs. These networks serve as an important quantitative readout for TF functionality in the clinical space. Working in collaboration with Medicinal Chemists and Structural Biologists, we have recently identified several novel small molecule epigenetic inhibitors that have the potential to inhibit the expression of the TF, its networks and inhibit the growth of metastatic PCs. The eventual goal is to advance these biomarkers and novel therapeutics into clinical trials.