Research Interests
Keywords: Computational Biology, gene regulation, Enhancers, enhancer RNAs, pioneer transcription factors, genomics
Dr. Franco has a primary appointment in the Department of Genetics and is a member of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. After receiving his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics from the University of Puerto Rico Medical School in 2011, he became an American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellow in the laboratory of Dr. W. Lee Kraus at UT Southwest Medical Center. Dr. Franco’s work focused on molecular crosstalk between the endocrine and immune systems as well as non-coding RNAs and epigenetics in breast cancer.
Dr. Franco has been awarded a K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award from the National Cancer Institute to continue his work as a faculty member at UNC. His lab will focus on studying the formation and function of transcriptional enhancers and the non-coding RNAs that are actively produced at enhancers, such as enhancer RNAs and long non-coding RNAs, which are involved in modulating several aspects of gene regulation. In addition, his lab will aim to understand how transcriptional enhancers help orchestrate responses to external stimuli found in the tumor microenvironment. The Franco lab will address these research aims by using an interdisciplinary approach that combines state-of-the-art molecular and cellular techniques with powerful genomic and computational approaches.
Mentor Training:
- Faculty Mentoring Workshop for Biomedical Researchers
Training Program Affiliations:
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
- Genetics and Molecular Biology
Publications
Hector Franco in UNC Genetics News
September 25, 2023
Department of Genetics Publications for September 10th – 23rd, 2023
Department of Genetics faculty, postdocs, students and collaborators published 7 papers during September 10th - 23rd 2023.
May 31, 2023
Dr. Hector Franco Promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure
Hector Franco, PhD has been promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Genetics, effective June 1, 2023.
May 11, 2023
Genetics Faculty Featured at UNC Lineberger’s 46th Annual Scientific Symposium
Leading investigators offer ‘highly scientific, but patient-focused’ talks on women’s cancers at symposium
August 25, 2022
Dr. Hector Franco Awarded R01 from NCI
Hector Franco, PhD (Assistant Professor, Genetics) was awarded a new R01 grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for his project titled “Posttranslational regulation of FOXA1 in breast cancer”.
August 1, 2022
Department of Genetics Publications for July 17th – 30th, 2022
Department of Genetics faculty, postdocs, students and collaborators published 11 papers during July 17th – 30th, 2022.
April 25, 2022
Department of Genetics Publications April 10th – 23rd, 2022
Department of Genetics faculty, postdocs, students and collaborators published 18 papers during April 10th – 23rd, 2022.
April 4, 2022
Hector Franco, PhD Receives Ovarian Cancer Pilot Study Award
Dr. Hector Franco (Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics) has received a pilot study award from the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research.
December 9, 2021
Molecular aspects of ovarian and endometrial tumors mapped to the level of a single cell
For the first time, researchers at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, led by Assistant Professor of Genetics Hector Franco, PhD, have determined, cell-by-cell, the genetic and epigenetic state of ovarian and endometrial tumors.
November 15, 2021
Department of Genetics Publications October 31st – November 13th 2021
Department of Genetics faculty, postdocs, students and collaborators published 12 papers during October 31st – November 13th 2021. A multi-omic single-cell landscape of human gynecologic malignancies. Regner MJ, Wisniewska K, Garcia-Recio S, Thennavan A, Mendez-Giraldez R, Malladi VS, Hawkins G, Parker JS, Perou CM, Bae-Jump VL, Franco HL. Mol Cell. 2021 Nov 1:S1097-2765(21)00842-X. doi: …
March 8, 2021
Department of Genetics Publications for February 21 – March 6, 2021
Department of Genetics faculty, postdocs, students and collaborators published twelve papers during February 21 – March 6, 2021.
