/enri-thumbnails/careeropportunities1f0caf1c-a12d-479c-be7c-3c04e085c617.tmb-mega-menu.jpg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=d7261e3b_1)
/cradle-thumbnails/research-capabilities1516d0ba63aa44f0b4ee77a8c05263b2.tmb-mega-menu.jpg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=1bc94f8_1)
TWEAKing Genome Regulation in Breast Cancer to Discover New Drivers of Metastasis by Nanyang Asst Prof Li Yinghui
IAS Discovery Science Seminar Jointly Organised with the Graduate Students' Clubs
The IAS@NTU Discovery Science Seminar, jointly organised with the Graduate Students' Clubs of SBS and CCEB, featured an insightful and impactful presentation by Asst Prof Li Yinghui. The seminar, titled "TWEAKing Genome Regulation in Breast Cancer to Discover New Drivers of Metastasis," highlighted groundbreaking research into the molecular mechanisms underlying the aggressive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype and explored innovative avenues for targeted therapeutic interventions.
Prof Li’s research uniquely addressed the critical unmet medical needs associated with TNBC, a breast cancer subtype characterised by its aggressive nature, resistance to standard treatments, and limited targeted therapeutic options. Through detailed and integrated genomic studies, Prof Li's team discovered that TWEAK/Fn14 signaling pathways significantly influence TNBC progression by reshaping the tumor's genomic landscape and promoting metastatic potential.
Prof Li Yinghui with her insightful presentation on TNBC’s metastatic drivers .
The seminar provided an in-depth examination of how TWEAK (TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis) interacts with its receptor, Fn14, leading to extensive changes in the epigenomic and transcriptomic landscapes of TNBC. Prof Li eloquently explained how these interactions activate oncogenic super-enhancers (SEs), driving the expression of genes crucial for metastasis and cellular metabolism. Of particular interest was the detailed description of Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), whose elevated expression through SE activation results in significant metabolic rewiring. This metabolic shift enhances NAD+ and ATP production, critical factors in the cancer cells’ invasive capabilities and metastatic spread.
Prof Li also detailed advanced research methodologies, including CRISPR-Cas9 technology, RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq, and HiChIP analyses, to precisely map the genomic interactions and identify key regulatory elements contributing to cancer progression. These state-of-the-art genomic approaches provided attendees with a clear understanding of how cutting-edge technology can unveil novel targets for cancer therapy.
The seminar was followed with a brief Q&A session, and participants meeting with Prof Li one-on-one after the seminar concluded, to speak with her on more personal issues such as specific questions relating to their own research topics, or how and what projects to pursue in the future of their academic journeys.
Overall, Prof Li’s work on these complex genomic mechanisms provided novel insights into the direct applicability of her findings to therapeutic strategies, thus opening up many possibilities in the future for a variety of translational research avenues. And importantly, providing inspiration for those in attendance to consider new directions in their research fields.
Written by: QI YUXIA | NTU School of Biological Sciences Graduate Students' Club
“I enjoyed the depth into which Prof Li went into talking about her research and the mechanisms of the TWEAK signalling pathway in TNBCs.” – Kalkin Kumar (PhD Student, LKCMedicine)
“My research is in a similar field, and this study inspires me in ways to design my project.” – Luqi Huang (PhD Student, SBS)
“I’m passionate about cancer cell biology. And it was very rewarding to find out about a new pathway for tumorigenesis and metastasis in breast cancer of the most aggressive kind.” – Darren Wey (Undergraduate, CCDS)
Watch recording here
