Oncogenic Dependencies and Therapeutic Vulnerabilities in Solid Tumours: From Functional Genomics to Translational Biomarkers

The field of cancer biology has been revolutionized by advances in genomics and targeted therapies, yet major challenges persist in the management of solid tumors. Despite notable progress, therapy resistance, tumor recurrence, and pronounced heterogeneity among patients continue to limit clinical outcomes. Central to these challenges are complex oncogenic signaling networks, chromatin regulators, ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation systems, and inflammatory cascades, all of which influence tumor initiation, progression, and response to therapy. Recent technological innovations in functional genomics -such as CRISPR/Cas9-based screens, comprehensive transcriptomic approaches, and proteomic profiling- have amplified our ability to discover cancer-specific dependencies and novel therapeutic vulnerabilities. Concurrently, integrative studies utilizing translational biomarkers are shedding light on the interplay between protein expression, the tumor microenvironment, and host factors such as race and ancestry, all impacting therapeutic efficacy and patient prognosis.Several pivotal studies have identified numerous molecular targets implicated in cancer pathogenesis. However, as these findings advance toward clinical translation, challenges in validation and contextual relevance remain significant barriers to their widespread adoption as effective therapies. Integrative approaches are critically needed to bridge mechanistic understanding at the molecular level with real-world clinical outcomes, including therapeutic resistance, patient stratification, and cancer disparities. New insights from collaborative research efforts highlight the potential for multi-omics data integration, advanced preclinical modeling, and population-based analytics to deliver actionable findings for precision oncology, particularly in malignancies such as breast, ovarian, and RAS-driven cancers.This Research Topic aims to spotlight innovative studies that systematically identify and characterize oncogenic dependencies and therapeutic vulnerabilities in solid tumors, with a strong focus on translational applicability. We seek to foster interdisciplinary research that connects functional genomic discovery, molecular signaling analysis, and biomarker-driven approaches to clinical phenomena such as therapy response, resistance, and disparities among diverse populations. By cultivating research across basic, translational, and population-informed domains, this Research Topic aspires to inform the development of robust precision oncology strategies that can improve outcomes for heterogeneous cancer patient populations.This Research Topic encompasses studies exploring the molecular and translational landscape of oncogenic networks and cancer vulnerabilities in solid tumors. Submissions may utilize a range of experimental and computational methods, focusing on mechanisms and clinical correlations.To gather further insights in these areas, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Functional genomics approaches, including CRISPR/Cas9 and shRNA screens- Mechanistic investigation of transcriptional, chromatin, and epigenetic regulators- Ubiquitin ligases, proteasome signaling, and protein stability in cancer- Inflammatory pathways and RAS-driven oncogenic signaling- Mitotic and metabolic dependencies specific to solid tumors- Translational discovery and validation of predictive and prognostic biomarkers- Mechanisms underlying therapy resistance and recurrence- Molecular and environmental drivers of cancer disparities across populations- Integration of multi-omics, preclinical models, and clinical data for target validationPlease note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent clinical or patient cohort, or biological validation in vitro or in vivo, which are not based on public databases) are not suitable for publication in this Research Topic. Topic editors: Gustavo Martinez-Delgado, Young-Ho Lee, Senthilkumar Ravichandran Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79289/oncogenic-dependencies-and-therapeutic-vulnerabilities-in-solid-tumours-from-functional-genomics-to-translational-biomarkers