Ashish Lal's Biography

Ashish Lal, Investigator and Head, Regulatory RNAs and Cancer Section, Genetics Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI)

My laboratory studies the roles of Regulatory RNAs in colorectal cancer. We have examined the biology of microRNAs downstream of wild-type p53 during DNA damage and in the regulation of cell migration, invasion and metastasis by hot-spot gain-of-function mutant p53 proteins. More recently, much of my lab has shifted to studying long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). As compared to the well-studied microRNAs, the function and mechanism of action of the vast majority of lncRNAs remains a mystery. We have identified novel p53-regulated lncRNAs in colorectal cancer cells and are investigating if and how they mediate the effects of p53 during DNA damage. Current efforts in my lab are focused on 2 p53-regulated lncRNAs that we named PURPL and PINCR. Our results suggest that PURPL and PINCR are pro-survival p53-regulated lncRNAs that mediate their effects in trans, via distinct mechanisms.