Hector L. Franco

Hector L. Franco, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Genetics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a primary appointment and membership in the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. He received his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics from the University of Puerto Rico Medical School (2011) and completed postdoctoral training at UT Southwestern Medical Center. His research focuses on understanding gene regulation mechanisms in cancer, particularly the roles of enhancers, non-coding RNAs (eRNAs), and inflammatory signaling pathways in breast and ovarian cancers. Dr. Franco employs interdisciplinary approaches combining genomic, epigenetic, and computational methods to identify therapeutic targets and biomarkers.

Research Highlights:

• Studies enhancer function and eRNA-mediated regulation in cancer.
• Investigates crosstalk between estrogen and inflammatory signaling in hormone-dependent cancers.
• Develops single-cell genomic technologies to profile tumor heterogeneity in breast and ovarian tumors.

Awards & Funding:

• R01 Grant (NCI): Investigates posttranslational regulation of FOXA1 in breast cancer.
• Komen Career Catalyst Award: Focuses on inflammation-driven metastasis in ER+ breast cancer.
• V Foundation Grant: Targets oncogenic enhancers in ovarian cancer.

His lab's work has led to key discoveries, including identifying eRNAs' essential role in enhancer function and developing biomarkers predictive of clinical outcomes in ovarian cancer patients. Collaborative efforts with clinicians and researchers further bridge basic science and clinical applications in cancer therapy.