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Maher recognized by Lung Cancer Research Foundation

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Christopher A. Maher, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine and a Siteman Cancer Center research member, has received the William C. Rippe Award for Distinguished Research in Lung Cancer.

Given by the Lung Cancer Research Foundation, the annual award goes to an “investigator whose proposal not only demonstrates exceptional scientific merit but also exemplifies an enduring commitment to making an impact in the field of lung cancer research.” The award comes with $150,000 in funding.

Maher, who also is an assistant director at the McDonnell Genome Institute, received the grant for his research project, “Understanding the regulatory roles of long non-coding RNAs in lung cancer.”

His research focuses on better understanding how cancerous tumors metastasize to other parts of the body. Specifically, he’s studying how the role that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) transcripts play in cancer cells. Maher’s lab has observed differences between the long non-coding RNA transcripts of lung cancer tumors and non-cancerous lung tissue, and researchers there are testing the hypothesis that long non-coding RNA transcripts regulate genes that promote cancer. The funding Maher received for his research will help lead to the development of better and more specific clinical treatments for cancer.

For more information about Maher’s research, visit www.maherlab.com.