Lay summary
Māori and Pacific cancer patients have poorer outcomes and more aggressive forms of tumours compared with their Pākehā counterparts. Discovering effective clinical biomarkers may aid in addressing these disparities and uncover genetic predispositions to these diseases. One such biomarker may be found in the TP53 gene which encodes the tumour-suppressing p53 protein. TP53 mutants have been associated with aggressive forms of tumours as they encode non- or dysfunctional proteins. Our lab recently identified a TP53 splice mutation, called X126, whose role is yet to be determined. The aim of this project is to characterise the X126 splice mutation in gene-edited cells and determine its association with aggressive tumours. We will use common cancer research methods including CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology, RNA sequencing, molecular and cell biology assays, and bioinformatic analyses. This work contributes to ongoing efforts to understand tumour biology and develop prognostic and predictive biomarkers for use in clinical settings.