Dipesh Thapa

Professional Background

Upon completing my undergraduate B.S. in biochemistry with a minor in biology at Washburn University, my academic journey transitioned towards cancer biology at KUMC. Currently, my research centers around the tumor suppressor p53. Approximately, 50% of human cancers harbor mutations in the p53 gene, while the remaining 50% witness p53 degradation and/or inhibition by hyperactivation of oncogenes such as MDM2 and MDM4. My curiosity is particularly towards the detailed mechanism of MDM4's oncogenic role independent of p53 and MDM2.

Furthermore, my Ph.D. pursuit is driven by another ambition to unravel the molecular mechanisms governing p53 regulation by Apobec4, a novel cofactor in the realm of p53 regulation. I also want to elucidate the in vivo and clinical significance of Apobec4 in a manner dependent on p53.