Research Interests:
RNA interference (RNAi) is a post-transcriptional gene-silencing phenomenon that suppresses gene expression of a target messenger RNA (mRNA) by cleaving it at a specific site. Due to the remarkable specificity of gene silencing, RNAi has revolutionized studies of gene function in animals and in plants. Using RNAi, gene functions can be perturbed at will to investigate the function of specific genes at the cellular or organism level. RNAi is triggered by double-stranded RNA that is converted into small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). siRNA associates with an RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) to form a large RNA-protein (RNP) complex that can recognize and cleave an mRNA target. Alternatively, endogenous small micro RNAs (miRNAs) form RISC-RNP complexes that target specific mRNAs to suppress their translation. Despite the importance of RNAi in biology and medicine, very little is known about the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying RNAi in humans. Our lab is currently addressing several key questions: (1) What structural features of RNAs are required for various gene silencing functions? (2) What are the components of RISC in vivo? (3) What are the specific sites for RISC assembly and activity in the cell? (4) How does RNAi machinery modulate host-pathogen interaction? (5) What roles does the RNAi machinery have in programming human embryonic stem cells? By answering these questions, we will uncover fundamental principles that govern RNAi pathways in humans.
Track(s):
MCB
Molecular Pharmacology
BMS Focus Areas:
Developmental Biology
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