Center for Molecular Biology of RNA

Center for Molecular Biology of RNA

University of California, Santa Cruz

Since its founding in 1992 with a grant from the Markey Trust, the Center has grown to 16 RNA faculty laboratories, distributed between the Departments of MCD Biology, Chemistry & Biochemistry and Biomolecular Engineering, now representing the largest grouping of RNA laboratories in the world. A hallmark of the Center is the opportunity for interdisciplinary research. One notable example lies at the interface between the study of RNA structure and its biological functions. The presence of the UCSC Genomics Institute, faculty of which are represented in the RNA Center, provides a unique and powerful infrastructure for connecting experimental RNA science with computational biology. Interdisciplinary interaction is encouraged through monthly RNA Club meetings, where researchers from the RNA Center as well as invited outside speakers from the Bay Area RNA community present their findings. Among the research topics under investigation in the Center are the functions of long non-coding RNAs ('lnc RNAs'), catalytic RNAs ('ribozymes'), ribosome structure and function, spliceosomes and the mechanism of pre-mRNA splicing, protein-RNA interactions in regulation of alternative splicing, gene regulation by micro RNAs, RNA genomics, expression of RNA in single cells in different tissues and nanopore sequencing of single RNA molecules.

Prospective postdoctoral candidates should apply directly to individual RNA Center faculty via their email addresses as listed here.

Prospective graduate students should apply to the UCSC Graduate Program in Biomedical Science and Engineering , or to the graduate programs in MCD Biology , Chemistry and Biochemistry , or Biomolecular Engineering

Areas of Focus