Our Research
The RNA Dicing Lab
The RNA Dicing Lab investigates a previously unrecognized layer of gene regulation in which messenger RNAs are internally processed to generate truncated, uncapped RNA isoforms with distinct biological functions. We study how this modular reprogramming of gene expression shapes cell identity, disease progression, and therapeutic vulnerability - and how it can be systematically exploited for drug discovery. Our research spans basic molecular mechanisms through translational applications, integrating long-read RNA sequencing, proteomics, functional genomics, and computational modeling.
Basic Research
Our lab focuses on RNA dicing as a fundamental mechanism of gene regulation. We investigate how alternative RNA cleavage, uncapping, and selective translation generate functional RNA and protein isoforms that escape conventional transcriptomic and proteomic detection.
Using long-read sequencing, ribosome profiling, N-terminomics, and biochemical approaches, we define how RNA dicing is regulated in health and disease, how diced isoforms differ from canonical gene products, and how they shape cell fate, signaling, and stress responses.
Together, this work establishes RNA dicing as a new organizing principle of gene expression.
Drug Discovery
RNA dicing uncovers disease-specific RNA and protein isoforms that create previously hidden therapeutic opportunities. We systematically identify diced isoforms selectively expressed in cancer and immune cells that drive oncogenic signaling, immune evasion, and drug resistance.
By integrating isoform-resolved transcriptomics with functional screening, we reveal isoform-specific dependencies, vulnerabilities missed by gene-level analyses, and new entry points for therapeutic intervention.
This work expands the druggable landscape from canonical genes to isoform-defined targets.
Drug Design
We exploit the structural and functional uniqueness of diced isoforms to enable isoform-selective drug design. Truncated proteins and alternative RNA products expose novel domains, interfaces, and regulatory elements that can be specifically targeted. Our work informs structure-guided design of isoform-selective inhibitors, antibody and degrader strategies targeting diced proteins, and RNA-targeted approaches directed at specific diced transcripts. By operating at the isoform level, we aim to increase therapeutic precision while minimizing off-target effects.
Drug Repurposing
RNA dicing provides a powerful framework for rational drug repurposing. We investigate how existing drugs interact differently with canonical and diced isoforms, revealing the molecular basis of unexpected drug sensitivity or resistance in specific patient subgroups. Through integrated computational modeling and experimental validation, we link approved drugs to isoform-specific activity profiles, identify biomarkers that predict drug response based on RNA dicing patterns, and uncover new clinical applications for existing therapeutics. This strategy accelerates translation by directly connecting fundamental RNA biology to immediate clinical impact.
