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San Diego RNA Community

  • Dr. Susan Ackerman

    Dr. Susan Ackerman

    Professor

    Department of Neurobiology

    Research Focus: The Ackerman lab seeks to define the molecular pathways necessary to maintain homeostasis in both the developing and aging nervous system

  • Dr. Corina Antal

    Dr. Corina Antal

    Assistant Professor

    Department of Pharmacology in the School of Medicine

    Research Focus: The Antal lab's interests lie in investigating the interplay between epigenetics, RNA processing, and cell signaling to uncover new mechanisms underlying cancer progression.

  • Dr. Eric Bennett

    Dr. Eric Bennett

    Professor

    Department of Cell and Developmental Biology in the School of Biological Sciences

    Research Focus: The Bennett lab studies how the proteome is dynamically remodeled in response to cellular stress.

  • Dr. Alex Chaim

    Dr. Alex Chaim

    Assistant Professor

    Department of Cell and Developmental Biology in the School of Biological Sciences

    Research Focus: The Chaim lab explores the molecular basis of DNA and RNA damage and its role in neurodegeneration and cancer onset and treatment

  • Dr. Don Cleveland

    Dr. Don Cleveland

    Professor and Department Chair

    Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine

    Research Focus: The Cleveland lab is focused on studying genome rearrangement in cancer and therapeutic mechanisms for human neurodegenerative diseases

  • Dr. Heidi Cook-Andersen

    Dr. Heidi Cook-Andersen

    Assistant Professor

    Department of Molecular Biology in the School of Biological Sciences

    Research Focus: The Cook-Andersen lab integrates cutting-edge approaches in RNA, epigenetics, chromatin, and computational biology. Cook-Anderson's group investigates these questions in mammals, using oocyte, embryo and stem-cell based models for the mouse and human.

  • Dr. Kevin Corbett

    Dr. Kevin Corbett

    Professor

    Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine in the School of Medicine

    Research Focus: The Corbett lab uses structural biology, biochemistry, and cell biology to study fundamental questions in genome maintenance.

  • Dr. Matt Daugherty

    Dr. Matt Daugherty

    Associate Professor

    Department of Molecular Biology in the School of Biological Sciences

    Research Focus: The Daugherty lab uses comparative genomics, biochemistry, and virology to understand how host immunity evolve to defend against pathogens. 
  • Dr. Neal Devaraj

    Dr. Neal Devaraj

    Professor

    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

    Research Focus: The Devaraj lab develops chemical tools to blueprint the structure and function of modern cells.

  • Dr. Steve Dowdy

    Dr. Steve Dowdy

    Professor

    Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine

    Research Focus: The Dowdy lab is focused on development and targeted delivery of RNAi and ASO therapeutics.

  • Dr. Thomas Hermann

    Dr. Thomas Hermann

    Professor

    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

    Research Focus: The Hermann lab focuses on utilizing RNA as a drug target and a material for nanotechnology.

  • Dr. Catriona Jamieson

    Dr. Catriona Jamieson

    Professor

    Department of Medicine in the School of Medicine

    Research Focus: The Jamieson lab studies the mutant stem cells and progenitor cells in myeloproliferative neoplasms. These cells can give rise to cancer stem cells. Cancer stem cells may lie low to evade chemotherapy and then activate again later, causing disease progression and resistance to treatment.

  • Dr. Simpson Joseph

    Dr. Simpson Joseph

    Professor

    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

    Research Focus: The Joseph lab studies mechanisms of translation and translation regulation.

  • Dr. Rob Knight

    Dr. Rob Knight

    Professor

    Department of Pediatrics and Computer Science & Engineering

    Research Focus: The Knight Lab uses and develops state-of-the-art computational and experimental techniques to ask fundamental questions about the evolution of the composition of biomolecules, genomes, and communities in different ecosystems, including the complex microbial ecosystems of the human body.

  • Dr. Ester Kwon

    Dr. Ester Kwon

    Assistant Professor

    Department of Bioengineering in the Jacobs School of Engineering

    Research Focus: The Kwon lab uses unique physical, biological, and smart properties of nanoscale materials to create tools, diagnostics, and therapeutics for the central nervous system.

  • Dr. Louise Laurent

    Dr. Louise Laurent

    Professor

    Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Reproductive Sciences

    Research Focus: The Laurent Lab applies its expertise in human pluripotent stem cell research, and spatial, single-cell, and extracellular omics to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying normal and abnormal human development, in order to improve the health of mothers and babies.

  • Dr. Jens Lykke-Andersen

    Dr. Jens Lykke-Andersen

    Professor

    Department of Molecular Biology in the School of Biological Sciences

    Research Focus: The Lykke-Andersen lab studies mRNA degradation in mammalian cells.

  • Dr. Colleen McHugh

    Dr. Colleen McHugh

    Assistant Professor

    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

    Research Focus: The McHugh lab studies non-coding RNA-protein interactions effect on gene expression.

  • Dr. Tatiana Mishanina

    Dr. Tatiana Mishanina

    Assistant Professor

    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

    Research Focus: The Mishanina lab focuses on mechanisms of gene expression in bacteria ​and human mitochondria.

  • Dr. Ulrich Muller

    Dr. Ulrich Muller

    Professor

    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

    Research Focus: The Muller lab uses in vitro selection and in vitro evolution techniques to develop catalytic RNAs (ribozymes) and explore how Life could have originated - in a stage called the 'RNA world'. In addition, we are evolving a specific ribozyme - re-engineered variants of the group I intron ribozyme - to develop a tool for therapy.

  • Dr. Amy Pasquinelli

    Dr. Amy Pasquinelli

    Professor

    Department of Molecular Biology in the School of Biological Sciences

    Research Focus: The Pasquinelli lab investigates how miRNA-mediated regulation of gene expression contributes to organismal development and viability.

  • Dr. Tariq Rana

    Dr. Tariq Rana

    Distinguished Professor

    Department of Pediatrics in The School of Medicine

    Research Focus: The Rana lab employs mechanisms and technologies of RNA, stem cells, and chemical biology to discover new pathways implicated in human disease.

  • Dr. Navtej Toor

    Dr. Navtej Toor

    Associate Professor

    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

    Research Focus: The Toor lab studies relationship between RNA structure and biology. 

  • Dr. Yitzhak Tor

    Dr. Yitzhak Tor

    Professor

    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

    Research Focus: The Tor group focuses on the chemical biology of fluorescent nucleosides and cellular delivery of biomolecules in living cells.

  • Dr. Sheng Zhong

    Dr. Sheng Zhong

    Professor

    Department of Bioengineering in the Jacobs School of Engineering

    Research Focus: The Zhong lab is interested in revealing novel RNA types and functions. Our favorite application areas include blood vasculature in diverse tissues and diseases, liquid biopsy-based diagnoses, and mechanisms of neurodegeneration and aging.

  • Dr. Brian Zid

    Dr. Brian Zid

    Assistant Professor

    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

    Research Focus: The Zid lab studies how cells maintain homeostasis in fluctuating environmental conditions.