RNA Institute News

Researchers from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany have identified small molecules that could inhibit intein self-splicing from the protein PrP8 in the fungal pathogens Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii, emerging pathogens that can cause fungal meningitis in immunocompromised patients.

(January 2021) - Dr.  Subodh Mishra, a post-doctoral fellow in the lab of Dr. Andrew Berglund, has been awarded a fellowship from the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation UK to support his study titled Discovery of dietary natural compounds as potential therapeutics for DM.

Upcoming speakers include RNA Fellow, Shane Breznak from the Rangan Lab and Guest Speaker, Dr. Blanton Tolbert, Professor at Case Western Reserve University

Speakers: Amber Altrieth, RNA Fellow (Mentor: Mindy Larsen) and Markus Landthaler, Max-Delbruck-Centrum fur Molekulare Medizin (MDC)

Dr. Maksim Royzen, associate professor of Chemistry and RNA Institute Faculty member, has partnered with Shasqi to develop a click chemistry compound designed to target a powerful cancer drug at tumor cells while sparing healthy ones. This is the first time that click chemistry has been used inside a patient’s body. The treatment has just entered Phase 1 clinical trials. Read full article in Chemical & Engineering News.

Attracted by the chance to delve deep into RNA science and enhance career prospects, young PhD-level researchers continue to pursue The RNA Institute’s Fellows Program at record levels.

A group of researchers at the College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Ciencia Inc. and the New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center have developed a COVID-19 antibody test that takes only 30 minutes. The work has been posted on medRxiv titled "Multiplexed Detection and Quantification of Human Antibody Response to COVID-19 Infection Using a Plasmon Enhanced Biosensor Platform."

Developments by the RNA Institute have enabled the pooled testing program to isolate individual samples out of the pools being tested – ensuring that only potentially contagious people are referred for diagnostic PCR testing and transferred to isolation housing. This means that no longer will any person who is not presumed positive for COVID-19 (even if they are part of a positive pool) have to be placed into isolation housing or be referred for additional diagnostic testing.