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Biography
Dr. Palanisamy’s laboratory is interested in a fundamental and translational research program to study the post-transcriptional gene regulation during oral cancer development and progression. The primary focus of the laboratory is to analyze the contribution of an unusual form of post-transcriptional gene expression, to RNA metabolism and the adaptation of RNA turnover and translation and their associated proteins to this process. Our research hypothesis builds on the discoveries made over the past years with a focus on cellular and molecular mechanisms of RNA binding proteins and non-coding RNAs in oral cancer and to translate these findings into clinical applications designed to repress the progression of the disease favorably. The mRNA binding proteins influence critical aspects of mRNA metabolism including nuclear transit, export to the cytoplasm, cytoplasmic transport, storage, translation, and turnover. RNA-binding proteins modulate the cellular response to stress, proliferative signals, immune triggers, and developmental cues. Given RBP influence on the expression of crucial modulators, there must be the most significant interest in studying the RBP binding mRNAs and non-coding RNAs and how they are regulated under the inhibitory and/or knockdown conditions in oral cancer and mucositis mouse models. Hence, our primary focus is to decipher how RBPs• influences the gene expression of oral cancer and mucositis via RNA metabolism using cell culture and mouse models. In total, our research will open up the unstudied aspects of RNA metabolism in normal and oral cancer and will lead to advances in therapeutic interventions.