Dutta Appointed to O’Neal-Sokol Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama Endowed Chair

The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees has appointed Anindya Dutta, MBBS, Ph.D., as the next holder of the O’Neal-Sokol Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama (BCRFA) Endowed Chair. The UAB professor of Genetics and senior scientist at the UAB O’Neal Cancer Center receives this prestigious appointment in recognition of his outstanding contributions to breast cancer research.

The O’Neal-Sokol BCRFA Endowed Chair is named in honor of BCRFA founders Dolly O’Neal and Bruce Sokol, who established the organization to combat breast cancer following their personal experiences with the disease. The chair was established in 2015 through a partnership between the O’Neal Cancer Center and the BCRFA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing innovative breast cancer research across Alabama.

Dutta’s research focuses on genomic instability in cancer cells and the role of noncoding RNAs in cellular differentiation and cancer progression, discovering a key mechanism by which human cells prevent over-replication of their DNA, a safeguard that protects against genomic instability and cancer development.

Beyond DNA replication, Dutta’s team has discovered microRNAs that promote cellular differentiation and has identified microRNAs, transfer RNA fragments (tRFs), and long noncoding RNAs that regulate cancer progression. These findings have expanded scientific understanding of how noncoding regions of the genome influence tumor development and behavior.

Dutta has mentored more than 50 scientists who have gone on to successful careers in academia and industry, reflecting his longstanding leadership in advancing breast cancer research and treatment.

“The O’Neal-Sokol BCRFA Endowed Chair recognizes Dr. Dutta’s groundbreaking contributions to understanding DNA replication and genomic instability in breast cancer,” said Beth Davis, BCRFA President and CEO. “His discoveries continue to shape the field and accelerate progress toward better treatments for breast cancer patients.”

For more information, visit bcrfa.org or onealcanceruab.org.