From, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Canada

Will give a seminar entitled:

Towards the understanding of human neurodevelopment and its disorders through the lenses of RNA metabolism

Abstract:

RNA metabolism programs such as mRNA decay and translation regulation provide extra regulatory layers to gene expression and are critical for brain development and function. Together with ‘development’ and ‘synaptic function’, RNA metabolism is consistently impacted in the neuronal cells of patients with neurodevelopmental disorders imposing physiological outcomes not predicted by studies of transcription and mRNA levels. Using human iPSC-based 2D and 3D neurodevelopmental models and multi-sequencing approaches, Dr. Rodrigues characterized the post-transcriptional regulation of key neurodevelopmental-related genes, the extent of translation regulation during neurodevelopment, and an unsuspected interplay between transcription and mRNA decay in neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. Rodrigues’ aims are to further broaden our understanding of RNA metabolism in health and disease states of neurodevelopment and devise mechanism-inspired strategies for translational applications.