Welcome to the RNA Institute
Vision
The RNA Institute is positioned to make significant contributions towards understanding the role of RNA in fundamental biological processes, developing RNA as a tool for science, and harnessing this knowledge to improve human health. The Institute brings together teams of researchers from multiple Departments and Universities with expertise in Biology, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Engineering, Genetics, and Structural Biology to achieve our goals.
Mission
Training the next generation of RNA scientists with a commitment to improving the number of individuals from under-represented groups is a priority for the Institute. The driving force behind The RNA Institute is our active researchers from multiple Universities who share the common goals of providing outstanding mentoring to our trainees and using the advanced technologies in the Institute to make new discoveries centered around RNA Biology and Chemistry. The long term goal of the Institute is to translate our scientific discoveries into improving the human condition.
Leadership
J. Andrew Berglund
Co-Director, Center of Excellence in RNA Research and Therapeutics (CERRT); Keith Hynes Endowed Professor in STEM; Distinguished Professor; Director of the RNA Institute
Thomas Begley
Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences, Director of Training in RNA Science and Technology, Interim REPR Director, Associate Director of the RNA Institute
Advisory Boards
RNA Institute Scientific Advisory Board
RNA Institute Scientific Advisory Board
| John Androsavich, PhD Vice President, Business Development, Head of In Vivo Biotherapeutics Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc. |
| Matthew D. Disney, PhD Professor and Chair, Department of Chemistry, |
| Thomas Gingeras, PhD Professor and Head of Functional Genomics Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory |
| James Grabowski, PhD, MBA President, Research & Development Curia Global, Inc. |
| Tony Krackeler President and CEO at Krackeler Scientific, Inc. |
| Christos Kyratsous, PhD Senior Vice-President-Research Regeneron Pharmaceuticals |
| Alan M. Lambowitz, PhD Member, National Academy of Sciences; Mr. & Mrs. A. Frank Smith, Jr. and Nancy Lee & Perry R. Bass Regents Chairs In Molecular Biology; Director, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin |
| Kristen W. Lynch, PhD Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania |
| Melissa J. Moore, PhD Retired Chief Scientific Officer (Moderna Therapeutics); Co-founder and Director of Via Scientific; Director and SAB Chair of Tessera Therapeutics; Co-director, RNA Therapeutics Institute; Eleanor Eustis Farrington Chair in Cancer Research; Professor, Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School |
| Leonard F. Peruski, PhD, MSc Director, Wadsworth Center |
| Tony Rea Dell EMC |
| Erik Sontheimer, PhD Professor, RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School |
| Joanna Sztuba-Solinska, PhD Senior Principal Scientist, Preclinical Dev., Process Development III, VAX PR&D, Merck |
| Tom Tuschl, PhD Investigator, HHMI; Professor and Head of the Laboratory of RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University |
| Gabriele Varani, PhD Member, European Academy of Sciences; Professor of Biochemistry and Professor of Chemistry, University of Washington |
| Eric Westhof, PhD Member, European Academy of Sciences; University Professor, Head of the UPR 9002-ARN CNRS; University Professor, Head of the UPR 9002-ARN CNRS |
| Sarah Woodson, PhD Professor, Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University; Fellow AAAS; President, The RNA Society
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| Ada E. Yonath, PhD 2009 Nobel Laureate; Member, National Academy of Sciences; Director, The Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure and Assembly; Professor, Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute
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Executive Council Members
Executive Council Members
| Council Members - University at Albany | |
| Marlene Belfort, PhD Distinguished Professor, Senior Advisor of RNA Institute, University at Albany |
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| Tom Begley, PhD Associate Director of RNA Institute, Professor of Biological Sciences, University at Albany |
| Andy Berglund, PhD Director of The RNA Institute, Professor of Biological Sciences, University at Albany |
| Arun Richard Chandrasekaran, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Nanoscale Science & Engineering, University at Albany |
| John Douglas Cleary, PhD Associate Director of Research at the RNA Institute, University at Albany |
| Gabriele Fuchs, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany |
| Ken Halvorsen, PhD Senior Research Scientist, The RNA Institute, University at Albany |
| Nilesh K Banavali, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University at Albany |
| Anil Ojha, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University at Albany |
| Jon Paczkowski, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University at Albany |
| Janice Pata, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences. University at Albany |
| Tammy Reid Associate Director of Operations, The RNA Institute, University at Albany |
| Joseph Scibienski Project Support Specialist, The RNA Institute, University at Albany |
| Sangeetha Selvam, PhD Science Communications Specialist, The RNA Institute, University at Albany |
| Susan Sharfstein, PhD Professor, Department of Nanoscale Science & Engineering, University at Albany |
| Jia Sheng, PhD Professor, Department of Chemistry, University at Albany |
| Mehmet Yigit, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, University at Albany |
| External Council Members | |
| Daniel Aalberts, PhD Professor of Physics, Williams College |
| Catherine Royer, PhD Professpr amd Constellation Endowed Chair, RPI |
| Jeremy Logue, PhD Associate Professor, Albany Medical College |
| Trainee Council Members | |
| Sai Sravya Kovvali Postdoctoral Fellows Representative, University at Albany |
| Tia Swenty Graduate Students Representative, University at Albany |