Date of Completion

2025

Document Type

Honors College Thesis

Department

Biochemistry

Thesis Type

Honors College, College of Arts and Science Honors

First Advisor

Andrew Fritz

Keywords

CRISPR, epigenetics, breast cancer, RUNX1, epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Abstract

Despite significant progress in therapeutic strategies dramatically improving breast cancer survival rates, late-stage metastatic breast cancer survival rates remain low. The transcription factor RUNX1 has been demonstrated to suppress breast cancer stem cells, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), and tumorigenicity. To interrogate the mechanism of suppression, we selectively and rapidly induced the degradation of RUNX1 in normal-like mammary cells to determine the immediate and putatively direct processes as well as the intermediate and long-term alterations that are critical for tumor formation. Subsequent analysis of RNA and protein expression changes provides great insight into the pathology of cancer. This study underscores the potential of selectively targeting cellular pathways to prevent tumor formation.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

Available for download on Wednesday, May 05, 2027

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