Mission Statement: Our goal is to discover the principles and mechanisms that control the expression of genetic information. Our research benefits society in that the resulting knowledge enhances our understanding of normal biological processes and the causes of diseases. Moreover, our discoveries will promote development of therapeutic strategies to correct deleterious gene expression. Of equal importance, we strive to educate the next generation of scientists, including high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows.
Summary: We seek to understand how messenger RNAs are regulated. Regulation of translation, degradation and localization of mRNAs contributes to the enormous dynamic range of protein expression. Dysregulation can cause disease, developmental defects, and even death. Sequence specific RNA-binding factors, both protein and small RNAs, play a central role in mRNA regulation. Our research focuses on two important classes of regulatory factors: Pumilio proteins and specialized ribonucleases known as deadenylases.
Central questions of our research include:
Expertise: Gene regulation, post-transcriptional control of messenger RNA stability, translation and localization by RNA-binding proteins, mRNA untranslated regions, non-coding RNAs and ribonucleases. Genetic mechanisms of development, cancer and obesity.
Dean's Office
123 Snyder Hall
1475 Gortner Ave
Saint Paul, MN 55108
Student Services
3-104 MCB
420 Washington Ave. S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Dean's Office
612-624-2244
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612-624-9717