snoRNA and Ovarian Cancer

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNA molecules, primarily found within introns, that play a vital role in modifying and processing ribosomal RNA (rRNA) through mechanisms like pseudouridylation and 2’-O-methylation, both essential for ribosome biogenesis. As intron-derived elements, snoRNAs serve as a link between splicing regulation and rRNA modifications, providing new insights into cancer biology. Dysregulation of snoRNAs has been implicated in various cancers, with elevated levels of specific snoRNAs making them promising candidates for non-invasive cancer biomarkers. In our lab, we focus on the role of snoRNAs in ovarian cancer, utilizing bioinformatics and genomics to identify snoRNAs that distinguish cancer subtypes by their aggressiveness. Our research has shown that knocking down specific snoRNAs in ovarian cancer cells causes significant phenotypic changes. Currently, our goal is to understand how snoRNAs drive cancer progression by connecting rRNA modifications to tumor invasiveness and splicing alterations. We also explore snoRNA-protein and snoRNA-RNA interactions to reveal new regulatory mechanisms guided by snoRNAs. Ultimately, we aim to develop innovative cancer detection and therapeutic strategies by leveraging snoRNAs as biomarkers, therapeutic targets, or molecular tools.