The group of Verena Wagner published a new Nature Communications Paper in Press

The group of Verena Wagner and several other colleagues of the M3 and further published a new Nature Communications Paper in Press "Spliceosome induction is a druggable dependency of RAS-driven senescence and cancer".

The reserach emerged that RAS mutations are among the most common drivers of human cancer and are frequently associated with poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. In this recent study, RNA splicing was identified as a critical vulnerability in RAS-driven cancer and senescence. Using proteomics, functional genetic screens, and in vivo models, this study showed that oncogenic RAS induces a strong dependency on the spliceosome in both premalignant and malignant cells. Targeting key splicing factors such as SF3B1 disrupts this process and selectively eliminates RAS-expressing cells, reducing tumor burden in preclinical models. These findings highlight RNA splicing as a promising therapeutic target in RAS-driven malignancies.

Find out more about Verena Wagner and her research at the M3 Research Center: https://www.medizin.uni-tuebingen.de/de/das-klinikum/einrichtungen/zentren/m3/novel-treatment-options-for-liver-cancer#publications

Reference:

Wagner, V., Bousset, L., Ascensão-Ferreira, M. et al. Spliceosome induction is a druggable dependency of RAS-driven senescence and cancer. Nat Commun  (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-71564-z