
Yasser Riazalhosseini
Assistant Professor, Department of Human Genetics
Email:
Phone: (514) 398-1784
740 Dr Penfield Ave, Room 4203
Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3A 0G1
While collaborating on genome characterization of different tumor entities, research in the lab is focused on following topics:
Comprehensive molecular understanding of renal cell carcinoma
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common form of kidney tumors. RCC has different subtypes with clear cell (ccRCC; conventional) being the most frequently diagnosed subtype accounting for 75-80% of RCCs. The incidence of RCC is increasing worldwide, but there is no biological marker for routine clinical use. Furthermore, it is essential to identify novel therapies as RCCs are resistant to conventional chemo- and radio-therapy.
We have recently generated comprehensive genome, epigenome and transcriptome landscapes of ccRCC. In an integrative manner, our lab is dissecting these profiles in order to identify molecular aberrations that possess cancer-driving activities. We have also extended our research to characterize molecular aberrations of other subtypes of RCC including papillary and chromophobe tumors, whose genetic abnormalities are less understood.
Post-transcriptional regulatory programs in cancer
In parallel to analyzing (epi)genome patterns, as factors governing gene expression at transcriptional level, we are investigating role of non-coding transcripts including long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs (miRNAs) as well as RNA binding proteins (RBPs) in post-transcriptional deregulation of cancer transcriptome. Specifically, we combine cancer-associated gene expression patterns with regulatory networks of miRNAs and RBPs, and apply quantitative approaches to these profiles in order to predict factors whose aberrant function can explain the abnormal transcriptome of tumor samples. These potentially “master regulators” are then subjected to experimental verification for their driver activities.
Investigating intra-tumoral heterogeneity and its contribution to metastasis
Approaches to stratifying risk or tailoring therapy for individual cancer patients based on the molecular profile of their tumor biopsy are complicated by the existence of genetic heterogeneity (representing distinct populations of cancer cells with different sets of mutations; subclones) both within and across tumors. Furthermore, across tumor sites, genomes of disseminated cancer cells may have similarities at the onset of metastatic disease, but substantial changes in the genetic composition occur spatially and over time, supporting the suggestion that the expansion of aggressive driver clone(s) and the emergence of relevant subclones correlate with development of incurable disease and potential therapeutic resistance. Our lab has optimized protocols of NGS on minutes amount of DNA as well as on DNA isolated from Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples providing an opportunity to analyze archived primary tumors of patients affected with metastatic or recurrent disease. We analyze the heterogeneous clonal composition of primary and metastatic tumors in order to investigate genomic evolution of metastasis.
Recent Publications
- Ghasemi, M, Mohseni, M, Fattahi, Z, Edizadeh, M, Beheshtian, M, Keshavarzi, F et al.. Haplogroup Structure and Genetic Variation Analyses of Mitochondrial Genome SNPs in the Iranian Population. Arch Iran Med. 2025;28 (3):140-148. doi: 10.34172/aim.33639. PubMed PMID:40298006 PubMed Central PMC12038801.
- Akuma, M, Kim, M, Zhu, C, Wiljer, E, Gaudreau-Lapierre, A, Patterson, LD et al.. Loss of VHL-mediated pRb regulation promotes clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Cell Death Dis. 2025;16 (1):307. doi: 10.1038/s41419-025-07623-y. PubMed PMID:40240354 PubMed Central PMC12003641.
- Terry Fox Research Institute Marathon of Hope Cancer Centers Network. Electronic address: mmarra@bcgsc.ca, Terry Fox Research Institute Marathon of Hope Cancer Centers Network. The Terry Fox Research Institute Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network: A pan-Canadian precision oncology initiative. Cancer Cell. 2025;43 (4):587-592. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2025.03.014. PubMed PMID:40185094 .
- Page, PM, Dastous, SA, Richard, PO, Pavic, M, Nishimura, T, Riazalhosseini, Y et al.. MicroRNA profiling identifies VHL/HIF-2α dependent miR-2355-5p as a key modulator of clear cell Renal cell carcinoma tumor growth. Cancer Cell Int. 2025;25 (1):71. doi: 10.1186/s12935-025-03711-3. PubMed PMID:40016765 PubMed Central PMC11869434.
- Zwaig, M, Darmond, C, Arseneault, M, Riazalhosseini, Y, Ragoussis, J. Fusion Transcript Detection from Short-Read RNA-Seq. Methods Mol Biol. 2025;2880 :159-177. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4276-4_7. PubMed PMID:39900758 .
- Attias, M, Alvarez, F, Al-Aubodah, TA, Istomine, R, McCallum, P, Huang, F et al.. Anti-PD-1 amplifies costimulation in melanoma-infiltrating Th1-like Foxp3+ regulatory T cells to alleviate local immunosuppression. J Immunother Cancer. 2025;13 (1):. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2024-009435. PubMed PMID:39762077 PubMed Central PMC11748786.
- Shahini, A, Riazalhosseini, Y. Combination of PARP and DNA methylation inhibitors as a potential personalized therapy for SETD2-mutated clear-cell renal cancers. Transl Androl Urol. 2024;13 (7):1315-1318. doi: 10.21037/tau-24-20. PubMed PMID:39100825 PubMed Central PMC11291424.
- Glennon, KI, Endo, M, Usui, Y, Iwasaki, Y, Breau, RH, Kapoor, A et al.. Germline Susceptibility to Renal Cell Carcinoma and Implications for Genetic Screening. JCO Precis Oncol. 2024;8 :e2400094. doi: 10.1200/PO.24.00094. PubMed PMID:39088769 .
- Saatci, O, Alam, R, Huynh-Dam, KT, Isik, A, Uner, M, Belder, N et al.. Targeting LINC00152 activates cAMP/Ca2+/ferroptosis axis and overcomes tamoxifen resistance in ER+ breast cancer. Cell Death Dis. 2024;15 (6):418. doi: 10.1038/s41419-024-06814-3. PubMed PMID:38879508 PubMed Central PMC11180193.
- Spinelli, C, Adnani, L, Meehan, B, Montermini, L, Huang, S, Kim, M et al.. Mesenchymal glioma stem cells trigger vasectasia-distinct neovascularization process stimulated by extracellular vesicles carrying EGFR. Nat Commun. 2024;15 (1):2865. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46597-x. PubMed PMID:38570528 PubMed Central PMC10991552.