Investigating the impact of RNA structural dynamics on function of the lncrna firre - my five-year goal is for my lab to be recognized as world experts in connecting long noncoding RNA (lncrna)…

New York University received a $2.13 million Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), effective September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2029. The award supports fundamental research investigating the structural dynamics of the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) FIRRE and its relationship to biological function. The research team will employ integrated expertise in chemistry, structural biology, molecular biology, and computational chemistry to identify how lncRNA splicing is regulated at the structural level and how dynamically structured mature transcripts correlate with biological function. This research aims to address knowledge gaps in lncRNA-driven gene silencing mechanisms and expand disease targets to include lncRNAs, with long-term therapeutic applications.

In addition to research deliverables, the award supports workforce development and training activities. The principal investigator will mentor researchers across multiple career stages—including high school students, undergraduate and graduate trainees, and postdoctoral fellows—in lncRNA structural biology. The project includes expansion of the LINC summer program, which introduces high school students to lncRNA structural research and equips them with skills for entering undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) laboratories. Collaborative relationships with external institutes complement the internal research team, creating an interdisciplinary environment designed to foster innovative approaches to understanding lncRNA molecular mechanisms.

Investigating the impact of RNA structural dynamics on function of the lncrna firre - my five-year goal is for my lab to be recognized as world experts in connecting long noncoding RNA (lncrna) structural dynamics and function. Lncrnas are a class of rnas that regulate a wide repertoire of biological processes. Of interest to US are the mechanisms by which they are spliced and their ability to fold into conformationally dynamic structures. We are working to identify, on a structural level, how lncrna splicing is regulated, and when mature transcripts are produced, how they sample dynamically structured states are directly related to biological function. By bridging these areas, we can address knowledge gaps in processes such as lncrna-driven gene-silencing, and expand potential disease targets to include lncrnas. To accomplish this goal, i am bringing together a team of researchers with expertise in chemistry, structural and molecular biology, and computational chemistry. These researchers include high school, undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral trainees, as well as collaborators from other institutes. Involving expertise from various skill levels creates a stimulating environment that enables trainees to formulate creative ideas together to tackle challenging projects. Furthermore, as a mentor, i am working to build an environment in which each of my students knows that their perspectives and ideas are valued. I plan to continue to build my summer program, linc, in which i introduce high school students to lncrna structural biology. These students work alongside graduate students to carry out experiments to study the structural mechanisms that underlie lncrna function, preparing them with the skills necessary to join undergraduate stem labs upon entering college. My long-term goal is to therapeutically target multifunctional lncrnas that are implicated in disease. However, to accomplish this, we must first establish a thorough understanding of the molecular and structural mechanisms by which they function. This is a feasible goal for the next five years.