SUNY Poly, UAlbany receive research grant for aging and cancer study

The research, led by Andre Melendez, interim dean of SUNY Poly’s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE), and Thomas Begley, associate director of the RNA Institute at UAlbany, will utilize cutting-edge tools available for biomedical and life science-focused research at both institutions. Undergraduate and graduate students at both institutions will be able to gain firsthand lab experience and training opportunities in RNA science and technology throughout the grant’s three-year research term.

“I am proud to congratulate both Interim Dean Melendez and Professor Begley and their research teams for receiving this grant which will help us better understand the roles of selenium and RNA in biological processes, potentially leading to more targeted approaches to slow aging and limit cancer,” Tod Laursen, acting president of SUNY Poly, said in a press release.

“This important NIH grant is a perfect example of how SUNY can solve complex research questions not only across disciplines but also across campuses,” UAlbany President Havidan Rodriguez said.

The grant will allow researchers to better pinpoint nutritional factors spurring aging and cancer development, Melendez said. “We are excited to pursue this work to unveil how chemical modifications of RNA, like those of DNA, may serve as attractive therapeutic agents for disease intervention, which, if properly addressed, could potentially contribute to longer, healthier lifespans.”

Selenium is a chemopreventive compound, meaning it can lower the risk of cancer developing or returning. It is housed in the amino acid, selenocysteine, which is attached to a specific transfer RNA that translates information from messenger RNA within cells to produce the amino acid chains that comprise proteins. These include numerous selenium-containing proteins that protect from free radical damage associated with aging and tumor growth. The researchers have identified that defects in selenocysteine use promotes cellular aging and will test if reversing this defect serves to protect cells and tissues from damage that drives tumor growth.

“Both Dr. Melendez and I are thankful for all the hard work from past students and members of The RNA Institute and the commitment of our research organizations to get to this point. We look forward to sharing our new findings in the future.”

SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology, professional studies, and arts and sciences. UAlbany offers more than 120 undergraduate degrees and 125 master’s, doctoral, and graduate certificate programs.