The RNA Transcript, November 1, 2021
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) constitute the new frontier of investigation for molecular biologists. However, lncRNA is inconsistently defined, which fails the research community in several ways. In a scientific review[1], Professor Andrzej Wierzbicki from the University of Michigan, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and collaborators challenge the contemporary ways of understanding lncRNAs and propose a definition that is based on function and biogenesis. “Here we propose a definition that is clear and specific,” said Wierzbicki, “and we hope that this operational definition will be widely adopted.”
 

[1] Long Noncoding RNAs in Plants, Andrzej T. Wierzbicki, Todd Blevins, and Szymon Swiezewski, Annual Review of Plant Biology, Vol. 72:245-271 (Volume publication date June 2021), First published as a Review in Advance on March 22, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-arplant-093020-035446
Thank you the RNA Society and Lexogen for our "RNA Salon!"
Our Student & Postdoc Council has been awarded an RNA Salon from the RNA Society. This is our third RNA Salon and it will cover two academic years 2021–22 & 2022–23. With support from this grant, our Council will further engage our junior scientists to produce virtual resources such as our skill sharing activities.

With in-person events opening up on the University of Michigan campus, the group also hopes to launch their originally intended RNA Salon networking events (The RNA Function, Pub Science, summer outreach, and Research Scholar exchange) beginning in the spring of 2022 and continuing into 2023.

The RNA Society RNA Salons are co-sponsored by Lexogen.
Did you miss it?
RNA Translated 2021 is out!

We are pleased to announce the publication of our second annual magazine and report, "RNA Translated." This year’s issue focuses on RNA therapeutics research. It is, in a way, the continuation of "RNA Translated, 2020, The Year of the RNA Virus." 18 U-M scientists and scholars present their research on three RNA therapeutics areas: mRNA vaccines, ASOs, and CRISPR. The second half of the magazine highlights the main activities of the Center for the July 2020–June 2021 period.

Special thanks to all our contributors!

RNA Translated is available on line (flipbook) and in an interactive downloadable pdf format. You can also request a free printed copy.
Wednesday, November 3, 4:00–5:30 pm ET, Michigan League Ballroom and livestream | University of Michigan, Distinguished University Professorship Lecture

“The Quest for Health Equity”
John Ayanian, Medical School and School of Public Health

“How Questions of Power, Race and Identity Shaped a Career”
Earl Lewis, College of LSA and Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

“A Path to Discovering Biology in Protein Structure”
Janet Smith, Ph.D., Medical School, Life Sciences Institute, College of LSA, and Member of our Strategic Advisory Board
Wednesday, November 3, 4:00 pm ET, ZOOM registration | RNA Collaborative Seminar Series hosted by UCSC Center for Molecular Biology of RNA

“Post-transcriptional control of oncogenic gene expression by IGF2BP3”

"Multiplexed single-molecule analysis of human telomerase catalysis"
Monday, November 8, 1:00 pm ET, BSRB - ABC Seminar room | University of Michigan Chromatin Club

Faculty Talk: Kristin Koutmou, Ph.D., Chemistry, College of LSA

Trainee Talk: Arvind Ramakrishnan, Cadigan lab, MCDB, College of LSA
Monday, November 8, 4:00 pm ET | University of Michigan Center for RNA Biomedicine

"Harnessing diverse compact CRISPR-Cas3 for long-range genome engineering"
Zhonggang Hou, Ph.D., Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan Medical School

"Microscopic Examination of Spatial Transcriptome through Seq-Scope"
Jun Hee Lee, Ph.D., Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School
Tuesday, November 9, 12:00–1:00 pm ET, in person- 3330 MS I and ZOOM | University of Michigan, Biological Chemistry, Medical School

"Structural Basis of Bacterial CRISPR Immunity"

Hosts: Yan Zhang and Nils Walter
Monday–Wednesday, November 15–17, 2021, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm (must attend all sessions) | BRCF Bioinformatics Core Virtual 3-Day Workshop: RNA-Seq Demystified
Cost: $250
 
This three-half-day, virtual, hands-on workshop is targeted toward researchers who would like to be able to understand the analysis of differential gene expression in bulk RNA-Seq data. 

Please note that this workshop assumes a basic familiarity with genetics as well as familiarity with the basics of using Bash and R. If you don't have background in Bash/R, we hope to offer a complete workshop series that covers both Bash/R and RNA-Seq early in 2022.
Thursday, November 18, 1:00 pm ET | University of Michigan, 10x Genomics and the BRCF Advanced Genomics Core
 
"Multiome Webinar Series"

Explore 10x Genomics' Loupe Browser software and how it can be used to quickly and easily visualize and analyze 10x Chromium™ Single Cell Multiome ATAC + GEX data. It combines the tools previously developed for looking at Single Cell Gene Expression and Single Cell ATAC data, and adds functionality to allow users to easily connect and relate gene expression and ATAC data generated for the same cells.
January 3–6, 2022, St. Petersburg, Florida | The RNA Society

6th Conference on Regulating with RNA in Bacteria & Archaea — CRISPR systems, small noncoding RNAs, riboswitches, transcriptomics, host-pathogen interactions, and more.

The deadline for poster abstracts is November 15, 2021.
 
For press releases and blog articles about your upcoming top journal publications, please
contact Elisabeth Paymal.

Our members' publications are available through Altmetric. Five queries are currently available: "RNA," "microRNA," "Transcriptome," "Translation," and "Molecule." Please make sure to have at least one of these key words in your title or abstract. Below is a recent highlight.
Targeting integrated epigenetic and metabolic pathways in lethal childhood PFA ependymomas, Pooja Panwalkar, Benita Tamrazi, Derek Dang, Chan Chung, Stefan Sweha, Siva Kumar Natarajan, Matthew Pun, Jill Bayliss, Martin P. Ogrodzinski, ... Arul Chinnaiyan, ... and Skiram Venneti, Science Translational Medicine, 6 Oct 2021, Vol 13, Issue 614, DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abc0497

Understanding childhood ependymomas
Children with posterior fossa group A (PFA) ependymomas have a dismal prognosis. PFAs overexpress the protein EZHIP (EZH inhibitory protein), and Panwalkar and colleagues investigated whether EZHIP could epigenetically rewire metabolic pathways. Glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle metabolism were enhanced in tumors with high EZHIP expression, associated with enrichment of histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation at hexokinase-2pyruvate dehydrogenase, and AMPKα-2. The antidiabetic drug metformin, an AMPK activator, altered histone marks, lowered EZHIP concentrations, and suppressed TCA cycle metabolism, with decreased tumor volumes and increased survival in mice carrying patient-derived xenografts. These findings suggest that targeting integrated epigenetic and metabolomic pathways could be a therapeutic strategy for children with PFAs.
Epigenetically defined therapeutic targeting in H3.3G34R/V high-grade gliomas, Stephan R. Sweha, Chan Chung, Kumar Natarajan, Pooja Panwalkar, Matthew Pun, Amer Ghali, Jill Bayliss, Drew Pratt, Anand Shankar, ..., Arul Chinnaiyan, and Sriram Venneti, Science Translational Medicine, 13 Oct 2021, Vol 13, Issue 615,

STAT3 inhibition for H3.3G34R/V gliomas
High-grade gliomas with arginine or valine substitutions at the glycine-34 residue on histone H3.3 (H3.3G34R/V gliomas) carry a poor prognosis. Here, Sweha and colleagues investigated the epigenetics of these tumors, finding activating epigenetic modifications on histone H3 lysine residues, as well as DNA promoter hypomethylation. They also found redistribution of repressive histone marks at the leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) locus, leading to increased LIF abundance and secretion. LIF activated STAT3 signaling, which the authors targeted with a blood-brain barrier–permeable small-molecule inhibitor called WP1066. When given to mice carrying H3.3G34R/V tumors, WP1066 suppressed tumor growth, suggesting that inhibition of STAT3 signaling may be of therapeutic value in H3.3G34R/V gliomas.
Career Opportunity
The Michigan Life Sciences Fellows program at the University of Michigan is a highly competitive postdoctoral fellowship program designed to launch innovative scientists into groundbreaking independent careers. Spanning the Life Sciences Institute, Medical School, College of Pharmacy, College of Literature, Sciences, and the Arts, and Biosciences Initiative, this program enhances the research program of the entire life sciences enterprise at U-M.
 
The program provides additional salary and financial resources, along with the flexibility and freedom to pursue research ideas, a unique multidisciplinary community of scholars, and focused mentorship — all with the aim of training not just the next generation of scientists, but the next generation of scientific leaders.
 
Applications for the 2022 cohort are due by December 17, 2021. We welcome all applications, and women, first-generation college students, and minorities underrepresented in the sciences are strongly encouraged to apply.

In order to further research in the area of mRNA therapeutics, as well as in disease areas currently under investigation by Moderna, we are pleased to offer the opportunity to support research fellowships. These fellowships are intended to support research in a wide array of disciplines (for example - clinical medicine, basic research, epidemiology, pharmacology, nursing.)

The application process is intended to be as simple as possible, institutions apply with a named supervisor and fellow. The fellowship will be awarded for between 1 and 3 years, and will support salary costs and research expenses. Salary costs should not exceed $75,000 per annum, and expenses should not exceed $100,000 per annum. The program will launch in 2022, and the deadline for applications is December 31st 2021. Successful applications will be informed of the decision by March 31st 2022.

To apply, please download and fill the application form below.
Return your completed application to global.fellows@modernatx.com.
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