Biochemistry Graduate Student Wins Summer 2024 91九色视频 Graduate School Paper of the Season Award
The 91九色视频 Graduate School Graduate Studies Committee awards committee has selected Karina Bursch, MSTP graduate student in Dr. Brian Smith's lab in the Department of Biochemistry, as the recipient of their Summer 2024 Paper of the Season Award. The paper, “Cancer-associated polybromo-1 bromodomain 4 missense variants variably impact bromodomain ligand binding and cell growth suppression," was recently published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Polybromo-1 (PBRM1) is a protein that acts as a tumor suppressor in many types of cancer. PBRM1 uses bromodomains—special regions that read marks on other proteins—to help control which genes are turned on and off. While mutations in PBRM1 can impair its function and fuel cancer development, understanding these changes may be key for improving how patients respond to different treatments, including immunotherapy. In the publication, Karina and colleagues revealed how mutations in the fourth bromodomain of PBRM1 (BD4) make the protein less effective for fighting cancer.
This award program grants four awards per year (one during each season). Congratulations Karina!