Ranjan Perera's Biography

Ranjan Perera, Associate Professor, Scientific Director Genomics and Bioinformatics, Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute

Dr. Perera is an Associate Professor and Scientific Director, Analytical Genomics and Bioinformatics at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms by which non-coding RNAs (miRNAs and lncRNAs) might affect melanoma and prostate cancer development in humans. Prostate cancer and metastatic melanoma are both difficult cancers to detect early, and once detected late they are nearly always impossible to cure, causing mortality within three years despite surgery and conventional therapies. To find effective treatment it is imperative to understand the biology of these aggressive cancers. Prior to joining Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, Dr. Perera held positions at several major biotech and pharmaceutical companies, including ISIS Pharmaceuticals and Life Technologies Corporation. He received his Ph.D. in molecular genetics from Moscow State University, Russia and University of Gent, Belgium. Dr. Perera completed his postdoctoral studies in gene targeting and DNA recombination at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).