The results obtained during the course of this action will have impact for researchers of alternative splicing in signaling proteins and in the cancer research field. Previous studies of alternative splicing alterations in cancer have not specifically taken microexons into account, due to the technical challenges presented by their detection as well as a longstanding underappreciation of their biological relevance. As such, the finding that SRRM4 and its microexon splicing program are silenced in tumors contributes an important new element to the overall picture of splicing dysregulation in cancer. Our analysis of splicing changes using TCGA data has already been made publicly available in advance of the publication of our first article, allowing other researchers in the field to benefit from our findings as early as possible. Other data generated during the course of this project will be used to apply for further sources of research funding, amplifying the future impact of the action. Furthermore, our discoveries may provide novel opportunities for therapeutic intervention in a wide range of cancers. With the advent of splice-switching antisense oligonucleotides that are now being used therapeutically to affect exon inclusion levels, this knowledge could guide the development of new strategies for cancer treatment. Ongoing work seeks to identify specific microexons that could be targeted therapeutically, which could have a large impact on society if novel treatments are developed based on this work. In addition, the publication of our work in scientific journals will help to improve international visibility of the CRG and Spanish and European research and foster future collaborations. Finally, the action will have a great impact on the future career prospects of the researcher, through the achieved scientific productivity, scientific and career-focused training, competitiveness for future funding opportunities and international mobility taken advantage of during the action.
