"Unlocking Deadly Cancers: Scientists Uncover Epigenetic Breakthrough"

Scientists at Rockefeller University have discovered that the transcription factor SOX9, which plays a crucial role in skin development, belongs to a class of proteins called "pioneer factors" that can activate previously silent genes. This finding sheds light on how SOX9 is involved in the development of deadly cancers such as lung, skin, head and neck, and bone cancer. The researchers engineered mice to express SOX9 in their adult epidermal stem cells, leading to the development of basal cell carcinoma-like structures. Understanding the mechanisms behind this process could help identify new therapeutic targets for these cancers.