Kasinski awarded V Foundation Translational Grant to advance first-in-class targeted RNA therapies
Andrea Kasinski, Purdue Institute for Cancer Research (PICR) deputy director and professor of biological sciences in Purdue’s College of Science, has been awarded a competitive translational grant from the V Foundation for Cancer Research. The $800,000 grant will support Kasinski’s pioneering work to develop novel microRNA (miRNA)-based cancer therapeutics.
The V Foundation’s Translational Grant supports “bench to bedside” research aimed at accelerating new cancer treatment strategies into clinical use. Over the next four years, Kasinski’s project will advance ligand-targeted miRNA mimic conjugates. These engineered molecules restore tumor-suppressing miRNAs and deliver them directly to cancer cells, addressing long-standing barriers in RNA medicine such as stability, delivery, and tumor specificity.
With multiple NIH-funded projects and a distinguished record of innovation in RNA-based cancer therapeutics, Kasinski’s laboratory has led major advances in restoring tumor-suppressor miRNAs that are lost or silenced in cancer. Her discoveries laid the foundation for LigamiR Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company she co-founded to translate this therapeutic approach into first-in-class targeted cancer treatments.
“Dr. Kasinski’s groundbreaking research in miRNA-based cancer treatments keeps the PICR at the leading edge of therapeutic discovery in oncology,” said Andrew Mesecar, the Robert W. Miller Director of the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research and Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry. “This award from the V Foundation will further accelerate her team’s efforts to translate her research innovations into real clinical advances for patients.”
Kasinski’s approach holds promise for treating a range of cancer types, including those that remain difficult to treat with current therapeutics. By refining targeted delivery mechanisms and addressing therapeutic stability, her research seeks to unlock new strategies that improve both patient outcomes and quality of life.
Kasinski’s research has been featured in high-impact publications and invited presentations at major scientific meetings, including a plenary address at the 2025 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting. Her contributions to RNA-based therapeutics have helped position Purdue as a leader in advancing next-generation cancer treatments through molecular precision and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
The V Foundation for Cancer Research, founded in 1993 by ESPN and friends of the late Jim Valvano following his public battle with cancer, has awarded more than $400 million in competitive cancer research grants nationwide. Its Translational Awards support promising discoveries that move laboratory science toward clinical application.
Kasinski’s new grant underscores PICR’s leadership in advancing RNA-based cancer therapeutics and its role in positioning Purdue as a hub for translational cancer innovation. With continued support from PICR and multiple federal partners, Kasinski’s lab is driving new possibilities for miRNA-based medicines that aim to transform cancer treatment.