Main Host Institution: Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute (HGTP), Badalona – Spain

Host Lab: Cancer Biology and Precision Medicine

Project Title: Diagnostic utility of exosomal circular RNA in NSCLC

Project Background: Circular RNA (circRNAs) is a novel class of endogenous RNAs, which can regulate gene expression in eukaryotes. Although some of them can translate into small proteins, most circRNAs are noncoding RNAs and function as sponges to miRNAs, modulating the RNA binding protein, or inhibiting mature mRNA formation by alternative splicing (Dragomir and Calin, 2018, Front. Oncol). circRNAs have been demonstrated to be highly expressed in exosomes (Li Y., et al. 2015, Cell Research). This feature along with its recently discovered role in cancer progression makes it a suitable biomarker for liquid biopsies.

Project Aim:

• The role of exosomal circRNA as potential lung cancer biomarker will be explored.
• Protocols for extracellular vesicle enrichment will be established.
• Validation of circRNAS as potential biomarkers will be performed, and its diagnostic/predictive value in NSCLC patients will be evaluated.