COBRE: Center for RNA Biology in Health and Disease

Brown University, Providence RI

Investigators

Abstract

Project Abstract: We propose to establish and build the COBRE Center for RNA Biology in Health and Disease at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. The motivation for this effort is the promise that new developments in RNA biology will drive a better understanding and treatment of human disease. The recent global pandemic illustrated the importance of understanding RNA viruses(such as Aim 3.4) and the power of nanoparticle RNA delivery {like Aim 3.3). In addition, advances in structural mapping of RNAs and a new appreciation of modified RNAs promise are already driving new models for gene expression and human disease. This proposal seeks to create a research infrastructure and academic community that is positioned to build on these recent scientific discoveries. The Brown University biomedical community is an ideal environment to achieve this goal. Brown has recenUy committed over 12 million dollars to the creation of an RNA Center housed in the newly renovated CIC technology center. In addition to commitments of equipment for the Research Core, there will be 6 junior faculty hires offered over the next 5 years to replenish the cohort of junior investigators that graduate from the COBRE due to obtaining R01 funding. We will bring cutting edge RNA technologies to the state of Rhode Island and evolve a collaborative service culture where implementing new RNA methodologies will generate samples for downstream analysis by existing cores. The long-term goal of the Center is to build an RNA biology infrastructure for the greater Brown and hospital environments that will benefit the study of human disease across all of Rhode Island. The objective of this proposal is to establish and build the COBRE Center and support the research activities of Junior Investigators to ensure their transition to independent R01-funded scientists. There are three Specific Aims - two related to the establishment of the Center, and one encompassing five Research Projects spanning experimental and computational RNA research. The specific aims that will allow us to achieve these goals are: AIM 1. Build the Administrative Core that will establish and support the COBRE Center for RNA biology of human health. AIM 2. Build the RNome Core that will support the research of junior faculty, increase the ability of academic researchers to incorporate cutting edge RNA techniques into their research and educate the scientific community of Rhode Island. AIM 3. Build the initial cohort of RPLs with complementary backgrounds in biophysics, chemistry, computational biology and infectious disease.