Utilizing RNA interference to enhance cancer drug discovery

With the development of RNA interference (RNAi) libraries, systematic and cost-effective genome-wide loss-of-function screens can now be carried out with the aim of assessing the role of specific genes in neoplastic phenotypes, and the rapid identification of novel drug targets. Here, we discuss the existing applications of RNAi in cancer drug discovery and highlight areas in this process that may benefit from this technology in the future.