Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)

CHOP has received our two myoepithelial carcinoma (MEC) cell lines and researchers are applying long-read RNA sequencing to deeply characterize MEC transcripts. CHOP has recently developed a computational tool called ESPRESSO (Error Statistics PRomoted Evaluator of Splice Site Options), which improves accuracy in detecting and quantifying full-length RNA isoforms from error-prone long-read sequencing data.

By combining CHOP’s tool with our MEC lines, they aim to map the transcriptome of MEC in far greater detail than ever before — revealing alternative splicing events, novel transcripts, and expression differences that short-read sequencing might miss. This high-resolution data could help us connect genetic variation with cellular behavior and identify new therapeutic targets.

In collaboration with CHOP, cureMEC will make the resulting datasets available to the research community, extending the reach and impact of this work. Together, the CHOP effort brings MEC research into the frontier of transcriptomic technology and enhances our understanding of this rare cancer.