Research Advisor: Tracy Brooks
Our research group is involved in anticancer research. My current focus is the study of transcription factor MAZ on kRAS expression. kRAS is a proto-oncogene that is mutated in > 30 % of cancers. The kRAS promoter consist of G-rich regions which are capable of folding into G-tetrad termed as G-quadruplex. G-quadruplex are present in near, mid and far region of kRAS promoter. G-quadruplex acts as a transcription repressor/enhancer of various genes. Transcription factor MAZ modulates the transcription of kRAS promoter, but where exactly MAZ bind and its effects on kRAS has not been established.