Category: Publications

In collaboration with researchers from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, our team members Dr. Maša Ždralević, Dr. Janja Rašović, and Andrijana Radović prepared a joint original scientific paper in the field of translational bioinformatics and immuno-oncology, titled “Conserved miRNA regulators of PD-1/PD-L1 in glioblastoma and colorectal cancer.” The paper was published on August 19, 2026, in the international journal RNA Biology (Taylor & Francis).

The study is based on an integrative analysis of publicly available transcriptomic and clinical datasets from several international databases (TCGA, CGGA, CPTAC, and GEO). It identifies five conserved microRNAs dysregulated in both glioblastoma and colorectal cancer, showing inverse correlations with the expression of PD-1/PD-L1/PD-L2 immune checkpoint molecules and pointing to their role in tumor immune evasion. The findings highlight these microRNAs as potential biomarkers of immunotherapy response and possible therapeutic targets.

Link to the paper: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13568575/

We are excited to announce that a new review article entitled: “Advances in microRNAs as Emerging Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer Early Detection and Diagnosis” by BIOCAN research team has been published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS) as part of the Special Issue: New Insights into Colorectal Cancer.

This comprehensive review summarizes the latest findings on deregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) in both precancerous lesions and CRC, in different types of samples, highlighting their potential as diagnostic tools. We specifically reviewed the roles and diagnostic relevance of four key miRNAs – miR-15b, miR-21, miR-31, and miR-146a – each of which consistently exhibits altered expression in CRC. Challenges and opportunities of integrating miRNA diagnostics into current screening methods are discussed, and the authors are confident that miRNAs have a potential to radically transform CRC diagnosis, leading to improved patient outcomes and new treatment strategies.

Six dedicated members of our BIOCAN team — Maša Ždralević, Andrijana Radović, Janja Raonić, Nataša Popović, Aleksandra Klisić, and Ljiljana Vučković — collaborated on this paper, which you can access through the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/20/11060