Interview with Dr. Frank Slack

Dr. Slack's research is directed at understanding the role of microRNAs in cancer, both as possible treatments and as potential targets of therapy.  MicroRNAs are small RNA molecules that are normally found in cells.  They are able to control the activity of genes and alter the translation of messenger RNAs (mRNAs). The microRNAs present in a normal cell are not exactly the same as those in a cancer cell and that difference could be critical for many cancer types.  In this interview, Dr. Slack introduces the topic of microRNAs and discusses how they are believed to be involved in cancer.  He also addresses the possibility that drugs could be developed to target microRNAs or that microRNAs themselves could be used as cancer drugs.