What if researchers could see the machinery inside a cancer cell closely enough to figure out exactly how to disrupt it?
At the Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute, the Gupta Lab, led by Yogesh K. Gupta, M.Tech, PhD, studies the molecular structures and processes that help cancer cells survive and grow. The lab focuses on sarcomas and leukemias, two important groups of cancers affecting children.
One major focus is RNA epigenetics—chemical changes to RNA that can influence how cells use genetic information without changing the underlying DNA. When these processes go wrong, they can contribute to cancer.
To understand these changes, the Gupta Lab uses powerful technologies including X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, and NMR spectroscopy. In simple terms, these tools allow researchers to examine biological molecules in extraordinary detail and learn how they fit together and work.
Why does that matter?
If scientists can identify a molecule or interaction that a cancer cell depends on, they can begin looking for ways to block it. The Gupta Lab combines this structural approach with chemical biology and drug discovery to find small molecules that can target these vulnerabilities.
Sometimes fighting cancer starts by seeing the enemy more clearly.
By understanding cancer at its most fundamental molecular level, researchers can uncover new targets—and new possibilities for more precise treatments for children.
🔬 Learn more about the Gupta Lab
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