George A. Calin, M.D., Ph.D. 1992, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacology (Romania) 2000, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacology (Romania) M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Experimental Therapeutics Contact Information Biographical Sketch

Research Interests: My long term scientific career goal is to establish the roles of non-coding RNAs in human diseases. In order to accomplish this, I plan to continue and expand in the next few years my previous work in the following way:

• Expanding the spectrum of non-coding RNAs by computational and experimental cloning strategies. My goal is to be able to produce the first complete catalog of human ncRNAs.
• Identification of the variations in expression and sequences of ncRNAs from the public available or personal databases. For this, I will produce new ncRNAs microarray platforms that are not commercially available and develop large sequencing programs for ncRNAs in clinical samples with sporadic and familial cancers. Essential will be the development of a genomic non-codingRNA unit especially designed for this purposes.
• Construction of expression libraries of ncRNAs and analyzing the potential roles as oncogenes and tumor suppressors.
• Finding the diagnostic and prognostic significance of ncRNA variations and analyzing the abnormalities associated with resistance to cancer treatment.
• Use of the most functionally significant ncRNA in therapeutical approaches against malignant cells. Specifically for this goal, I plan to develop a biotech company for therapy-oriented research.

Depending on the students’ interests, a tutorial in my laboratory would provide experience with genomics techniques related to non-codingRNAs (such as cloning, identification of genomics alterations or sequence variations), expression studies (by Norther blotings, quantitative PCr or microarray technology), as well as the identification of clinical and prognostic correlations between the different molecular signatures that we will identify and the clinical parameters. Furthermore, the students can achieve skills in the standard techniques used for construction of viral vectors important for the initial studies of gene therapy with microRNAs.
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Calin GA, Croce CM (2006a) Genomics of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia MicroRNAs as New Players With Clinical Significance. Semin Oncol 33, 167-173.

Calin GA, Croce CM (2006b) MicroRNA signatures in human cancers. Nature Reviews Cancer 6:857-66.

Calin GA, Croce CM (2006c) MicroRNA-cancer connection: the beginning of a new tale. Cancer Res 66, 7390-7394.

Calin GA, Dumitru CD, Shimizu M, Bichi R, Zupo S, Noch E, Aldler H, Rattan S, Keating M, Rai K, et al. (2002) Frequent deletions and down-regulation of micro- RNA genes miR15 and miR16 at 13q14 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Proc Natl Acad Sc U S A 99, 15524-15529.

Calin GA, Ferracin M, Cimmino A, Di Leva G, Shimizu M, Wojcik S, Iorio MV, Visone R, Sever NI, Fabbri M et al. (2005) A Unique MicroRNA Signature Associated with Prognostic Factors and Disease Progression in B cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. N Engl J Med 352, 1667-1676.