Andrea Kasinski, deputy director of the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research (PICR), has been named the Walther Professor of Cancer Biology. This appointment recognizes Kasinski’s sustained impact in advancing microRNA (miRNA)-based cancer therapeutics through basic and translational discovery.
Kasinski was appointed deputy director of the PICR on Oct. 1, 2023. In this role, she helps guide the strategic direction of Purdue’s National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated basic laboratory cancer center. Only seven institutions in the U.S. hold this designation, and Purdue is the only public university among them.
Internationally recognized for pioneering work in miRNA biology, Kasinski’s research focuses on restoring tumor-suppressing miRNAs that are lost or silenced in cancer. Her laboratory has developed first-in-class ligand-targeted miRNA conjugates designed to deliver therapeutic RNA directly to cancer cells, addressing long-standing challenges in RNA medicine such as stability, delivery and tumor specificity.
Her work spans basic discovery and translational research and has led to new approaches for targeting multiple cancer drivers with a single therapeutic agent. Kasinski’s research has been supported by federal agencies and private foundations and has contributed to the formation of LigamiR Therapeutics, a biotechnology company she co-founded to translate RNA-based cancer therapies toward clinical application.
“This appointment recognizes Dr. Kasinski’s success and the impact of her contributions to cancer biology and miRNA therapeutics,” said Andrew Mesecar, the Robert W. Miller Director of the PICR. “Her research continues to be at the forefront of miRNA research, and this named professorship reflects her leadership in the cancer field and in the PICR.”
The Walther Professorship in Cancer Biology supports faculty whose research advances fundamental understanding of cancer and informs the development of new therapeutic strategies. In this appointment, Kasinski will continue miRNA-based cancer research and translate discoveries into clinical applications aimed at improving patient outcomes.
read more on kasinski’s work
- Kasinski awarded V Foundation Translational Grant to advance first-in-class targeted RNA therapies
- Purdue researchers receive $175K from Purdue Innovates to strengthen market readiness of their work
- First-in-class targeted microRNA therapy slows cancer tumor growth
- First annual PICR Awards ceremony recognizes excellence in cancer research
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