Investigating oncogenic drivers of therapy resistance and cell states in rhabdomyosarcoma
Mentor Name: David Langenau
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a pediatric soft-tissue sarcoma that shares similarities with skeletal muscle. Despite current aggressive treatment approaches that include chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, the prognosis for relapsed or refractory RMS remains extremely poor. This project will focus on the transcription factor gene CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta (CEBPB); this gene is highly expressed in FN-RMS cancer stem cells (CSCs) and may also regulate cancer onset and aggression in other cancers. This work has two objectives: 1) to elucidate the role of CEBPß (the gene product of CEBPB) within human RMS by examining the effects of its modified expression on cell survival and stem cell properties and 2) to discover the molecular mechanisms regulated by CEBPß, with an emphasis on its impact on RMS aggression and CSC functionality.
