Research Projects

The heterogeneous nucleoplasm consists of various self-organizing nuclear bodies, with nuclear speckles and its subregion paraspeckles being dominant. HCV, a cytoplasmic replicating virus, interacts with the nucleus and contributes to malignant transformation of hepatocytes. Persistent viral infection-associated stress and stress body formation serve as oncogenic stress factors for hepatocyte transformation and growth promotion during HCV-associated disorders. Recent research has revealed the interaction of cellular lncRNA and microRNA with nuclear speckled and paraspeckle subnuclear components and their role as oncogenic regulatory transcripts. Under various diseases, these nuclear body components are reshaped, destabilizing nuclear speckled factors and affecting RNA metabolism and gene expression regulation, leading to tumorigenesis and rare disorders. The lab is actively working on the role of several RNA binding proteins, long non-coding RNAs, and micro RNAs, paraspeckle components during virus-induced cellular pathogenesis in different RNA virus models, including HCC. The hypothesis is that HCV infection-induced oncogenic stress body reshaped nuclear speckle structures plays a prime role in determining viral replication and persistent infection, boosting regulatory control of cell fate and contributing to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.