Our Research
The overall focus of our research group is to study the molecular genetic and epigenetic events associated with cancer development, with the underlying aim of translating this knowledge into novel diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic strategies. We employ integrative approaches that include cell-based assays, studies using animal models, analysis of human cancer specimens, next-generation sequencing, and bioinformatics to identify (A) the DNA damage and repair pathways that mediate cancer-specific recurrent genomic rearrangements, and (B) the functional consequences of epigenetic and transcriptional deregulation in cancer development. These studies will serve as the basis for early cancer detection and therapeutic targeting. The Mani Research Laboratory is located on the seventh floor of the NB building.
The Team
We are a group of researchers with diverse scientific skill sets, but with a common mission of making significant advances in cancer research to benefit patient care. To accelerate scientific innovation and translate our discoveries into the clinic, we promote a multi-disciplinary team science approach and employ state-of-the-art technologies.
The Principal Investigator
Ram Mani, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor with a joint appointment in the Departments of Pathology and Urology and is a member of the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas. He is a recipient of the K99/R00 Pathway to Independence award from the National Institutes of Health and a Young Investigator Award from the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Before starting his research laboratory in 2014, he was a Research Investigator (2011-2014) in the Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. His postdoctoral training (2007-2011) is in the area of prostate cancer genomics and epigenetics in Prof. Arul Chinnaiyan’s research group at, the University of Michigan. His doctoral research from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore is in the area of human molecular genetics.