This first-ever symposium on RNA and cancer hosted at UChicago, “RNA Revolution: Unlocking Cancer’s Secrets,” took place on May 14,2025. Sponsored by the UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCCCC) and the Biological Sciences Division (BSD), the event linked faculty from across the institution with expertise in RNA research with UChicago’s broad cancer biology community, including basic researchers and clinicians.
The field of understanding RNAs role in cancer is moving at incredible speed and with tremendous interest. More than 150 people attended the symposium, and responses to a university-wide survey showed that more and more faculty in the BSD, Physical Sciences Division (PSD), and Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) are doing research on RNA. These researchers were enthusiastic about the opportunity to collaborate with translational researchers and excited about the potential for new insights and collaborations that could drive therapeutic interventions in cancer treatment.
Both the BSD and UCCCC hope to capitalize on the momentum and advance research through team science to foster creativity and innovation, often at the intersection of different fields. By offering multi-project grants through which researchers can interweave ideas and amplify each other’s research, the BSD and UCCCC hope to increase opportunities for investigators to obtain highly competitive grants.
The speakers and panelists at the symposium reflected the breadth and depth of RNA research at UChicago. Internationally recognized scientists gave presentations on ongoing and pioneering RNA research relevant to understanding and treating cancer. Speakers addressed a variety of topics, including:
- The effects of altered RNA splicing in cancer
- RNA mislocalization in cancer
- The role of non-coding RNAs in cancer
- How to enhance expression of tumor suppressive RNAs
- Developing therapeutic approaches using RNA to target pro-tumorigenic molecules and processes
- Approaches using RNAs to modulate immune responses in cancer
Kunle Odunsi, MD, PhD, UCCCC Director, Abbvie Foundation Distinguished Service Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and BSD Dean for Oncology, set the tone in his opening remarks for the symposium by emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary team science for accelerating breakthroughs.
The first section of the symposium focused on innovations in RNA biology, including new roles for RNA in control of cancer signaling in tumor growth and metastasis. Chuan He, PhD, John T. Wilson Distinguished Service Professor of Chemistry and of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, gave the plenary talk highlighting new methods to study RNA-RNA and protein-RNA interactions.
He was followed by short talks by more UChicago faculty, including:
The next group of speakers presented an overview of applications for RNA biology, including how cancers co-opt RNA expression and processing to develop drug resistance. Speakers included:
A panel discussion, moderated by Joseph Piccirilli, PhD, Professor of Chemistry and of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, emphasized bridging basic, translational, and clinical research. Panelists included:
The symposium concluded with a reminder of opportunities for team science initiatives, supported by resources such as multi-project grant assistance, a new RNA and Cancer Working Group, and institutional development teams.
A committee of UChicago faculty and staff leaders organized the symposium, led by Kay Macleod, PhD, Hospira Foundation Professor of Ben May Department of Cancer Research and Associate Director for Basic Sciences at UCCCC.
The faculty planning team included:
- Eileen Dolan, PhD, Professor of Medicine-Hematology/Oncology
- Chuan He, PhD
- Connie Lee, PhD, Associate Dean for Basic Science
- Scott Oakes, MD, Professor of Pathology and Vice Dean of Clinical Science Research
- Jon Staley, PhD, Professor and Chair of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology
- Ralph Weichselbaum, MD
Staff assistance was provided by Marisa Naujokas, PhD (lead); Jola Glotzer, PhD; Rita Spiroff; Carl Stone; and Michelle Domecki.
