RNA conference begins
An annual conference bringing scientists in the field of RNA from across western Canada and beyond is taking place this week at the University of Lethbridge.
This year’s RiboWest Conference 2018 features the top RNA researchers in western Canada, hosting some of the leading investigators in the field of ribonucleic acid research and genomics.
This is the 14th year for the event, which wraps up Wednesday. The conference is organized by members of the Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute.
RNA, is a similar biomolecule to DNA which, in recent decades, has emerged as a molecule of equal importance.
A simplified, yet central idea in the flow of genetic information and used in the field of molecular biology is “DNA makes RNA makes protein.”
“We now know that RNA is implicated in many diseases ranging from infections, to cancer and Alzheimer’s disease,” said Nehal Thakor, one of the organizers and a member of the Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute at the U of L in a recent news release. “But RNA can also serve in the diagnosis and as a therapeutic agent of many diseases as well as a tool in bioengineering of cells to generate novel compounds.”
The conference features an interdisciplinary group of scientists in fields involving RNA research.
“This meeting is an excellent opportunity for networking, establishing new collaborations and having fun in sharing our enthusiasm for RNA,” said Athan Zovoilis, another member of ARRTI and an an assistant professor at the U of L. “This year’s conference is focussed on modern RNA genomics and epigenomics technologies that can provide detailed insights into the role of RNA in health and diseases.”
The conference will include five keynote speakers delivering talks that will be free and open to the public in the Markin Hall Atrium.
Michelle Scott will present today at 8 a.m. and discuss her work on the effect of mid-sized RNAs in health.
She is an associate professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Sherbrooke.
Scott is recognized internationally for her work in bioinformatics of small noncoding RNAs and her research involves the development of computational tools for the analysis of the transcriptome.
Renowned RNA researcher Jennifer Kugel will close the event with a talk today at 4:45 p.m., discussing regulation of RNA polymerase II by SINE encoded ncRNAs. She is a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and has been a leading force in current RNA research and understanding of the role of mobile repetitive elements in the genome.