"DNA makes RNA makes protein." To meet the demands of complex organism development and the appropriate response to environmental stimuli, every step in these processes needs to be finely regulated. Dysregulation could result in pathological conditions. Our lab is interested in quantitative understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying different layers of gene regulation and their dysregulation in human diseases including cancer. 

In this talk, I will present our recent study of transcriptional and post-transcriptional dysregulation during EMT process using colorectal cancer cell as a model. Here, by integrating a variety of genomics, transcriptomics and epigenomics data, we identified a number of metastasis-related transcription factors that were transcriptionally or post-transcriptionally dysregulated during EMT process. 

Their effects could be validated by using in vitro and in vivo assays. Further functional analysis of their target genes revealed novel pathways involved in EMT process. Finally, indicated by patient survival data of various cancer, these transcription factors may serve as markers with high prognostic potential.