Leonid Pobezinsky
Research areas include non-coding RNAs in the immune system.
Current Research
Our laboratory is interested in the molecular mechanisms that control differentiation and transformation programs within an organism. The immune system constantly undergoes differentiation and is prone to malignant transformation providing an excellent model to study these programs. Thus, the focus of the laboratory is to identify key regulators of genes that are critical for normal function and for tumorigenesis of the immune system. Recently, non-coding RNAs, miRNAs, have been shown to control expression of many genes at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Specifically, we would like to understand the function of tumor suppressive and oncogenic miRNAs that are expressed in the immune cells.
One of the goals of our research is to be able to manipulate immune responses and control malignant transformation using knowledge about miRNA-mediated suppression of gene expression. To reach this goal we will explore the mechanisms of the transcriptional control of tumor suppressive and oncogenic miRNAs in the immune system. In addition, we plan to identify small molecules that will modulate transcription of such miRNAs.
Learn more at www.vasci.umass.edu/research-faculty/leonid-a-pobezinsky
Academic Background
- PhD Cancer Research Center, Moscow, Russia, 2003
- Postdoctoral Training: Experimental Immunology Branch, NCI/NIH
