In the news

Small segments of RNA halt cancer in multiple ways

Protein modification discovery opens cancer therapy possibilities

Back-to-back Nature papers reveal RNA-guided CRISPR system that activates gene expression

Personal experiences with cancer drive Purdue’s research strides

Phil Low, Purdue drug discovery scholar and impactful innovator whose discoveries saved lives, dies at 78

Purdue drug discovery scholar and cancer researcher Philip Low, whose life’s work turned laboratory discoveries into lifesaving therapies, died March 4 at the age of 78

Exploring the machinery that surrounds DNA to stop cancer

February 26, 2026

Compound developed by PICR member emeritus Mark Cushman advances to Phase 2 trial for recurrent glioblastoma

February 7, 2026

Lanman awarded Trask Innovation Fund support

January 28, 2026

Team led by PICR member announces new therapeutic target for breast cancer

A team led by PICR member Kyle Cottrell has discovered a new therapeutic target for triple-negative breast cancer. The team tracked the activity of a dsRNA-binding protein called PACT, for protein activator of interferon-induced protein kinase. This work and studies published this year by two other groups show that PACT suppresses another protein called RNA-activated protein kinase, or PKR.

January 22, 2026

Electric signals help immune cells find their way

A new study led by Purdue University researchers reveals that electrical signals across a cell’s membrane — a form of bioelectricity — play a critical role in how immune cells navigate. The team discovered that an ion channel called Kir7.1 acts as a gatekeeper, controlling the flow of potassium ions and allowing neutrophils to sense direction and move efficiently toward chemical cues in their environment.