This National Science Foundation project grant award of $220,000 supports research into RNA-encoded molecular memory at The Trustees of Mount Holyoke College from May 1, 2023 through April 30, 2026. The research will explore the potential roles of non-coding RNAs in encoding memory, building on prior evidence that some forms of simple memory may be stored as changes in RNA molecules. The principal investigators and their team will conduct differential RNA sequencing on trained and untrained marine snails to identify non-coding RNA species with expression levels correlated to long-term memory. They will determine if sensitization training induces persistent changes in non-coding RNA structure, modification state, or protein interactions that could mediate memory encoding. This work funded under the NSF's Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) aims to advance the scientific understanding of major problems in biology.