Howard Chang, MD, PhD, professor of dermatology and genetics and the Virginia and DK Ludwig Professor in Cancer Research, has been honored with the 2024 Lurie Award in Biomedical Sciences from the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health. He was honored for his research into the role of long noncoding RNAs—genetic sequences that do not encode instructions for proteins but play a vital role in cell biology—in health and disease.
“The goal of my research has been to understand how cells make decisions to turn genes on and off and how they remember those decisions,” Chang said. “This new class of RNA is a very important way in which cells make these choices and gives us valuable insights into cancer and other diseases, including autoimmune disorders.”
Recently, Chang led a study that found that a long non-coding RNA, or lncRNA, called Xist, is involved in processes that may explain why women are much more likely than men to develop autoimmune diseases like lupus , multiple sclerosis and scleroderma.
“Dr. Chang’s work on the discovery of the noncoding genome represents a landmark achievement in advancing our understanding of cancer and autoimmune diseases,” said Julie Gerberding, MD, MPH, president and CEO of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health in a prepared statement. . “His research embodies the innovative spirit of the Lurie Prize. It has contributed significantly to our understanding of how genes are controlled and helped lay the foundations for the development of new and more effective therapies for these diseases.”
In 2013, Chang’s team along with genetics professor William Greenleaf, PhD, developed an experimental technique they called ATAC-Seq to identify regions of chromosomes that contain regulatory elements that control gene expression. ATAC-Seq was 1 million times more sensitive than previous techniques and transformed the field of genetics.
“The study of long non-coding RNAs has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade,” Chang said, “and this was made possible by technology developed at Stanford Medicine that made it easier to detect changes in important in health and disease. This research would not be possible without my collaborators and students.”
The Lurie Prize is awarded annually to recognize outstanding achievement by scholars age 52 or younger. It includes a cash prize of $100,000 and recipients are selected by a jury of biomedical researchers. Chang will receive the award in October in Washington, DC
“I am honored and humbled to follow in the footsteps of previous recipients, whom I greatly admire,” said Chang.
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Image Source : med.stanford.edu