School of Pharmacy

RNA in Health and Disease

Our research focuses on many different aspects of RNA function in human cells, and their association with different physiological and pathological processes.

These include the control of polyadenylation and its role in cancer and inflammatory disease, including osteoarthritis, microRNA biogenesis and function and its role in viral infection, and control of translation in cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

We investigate these questions using a wide range of molecular and cell biology techniques, including state-of-the art approaches that apply next generation RNA sequencing to analyse newly synthesised RNA or poly(A) tail length. We are involved in developing drugs targeted to RNA driven processes such as translation and polyadenylation as well as in designing and evaluating coding and non-coding therapeutic RNAs including microRNAs, antagomirs and circular RNAs.  An emerging theme the identification of the protein and RNA targets of natural compounds.

An activated kinase localises to spindle poles in mitotic cellsAn activated kinase localises to spindle poles in mitotic cells

RNA is central to gene expression. In addition to its canonical function as a messenger from which genetic information is translated into protein, many different classes of RNA exist with regulatory roles in different cellular processes. RNA expression and function is tightly controlled and frequently disrupted in disease, and RNA regulatory processes such as translation initiation, splicing and microRNA activity are increasingly being pursued as therapeutic targets. A proper understanding of how RNA regulation occurs is important for the identification of new drug targets.



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School of Pharmacy

University of Nottingham
University Park
Nottingham, NG7 2RD

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