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Non-protein-coding RNAs - the DNA–RNA dialogue in shaping the transcriptome

19 - 20 September 2011 09:00 - 18:00

 

Organised by Dr Andreas Werner, Professor Denise Barlow and Professor Kevin Morris

Transmission of genetic information is not a top-down process but rather a dialogue between DNA and RNA. Long and short non-protein-coding RNAs have recently emerged as important mediators of the genomic readout. The input of non-protein-coding RNAs is essential to shaping transcriptional output and correlates with organismal complexity. Moreover, interruption of RNA-mediated feedback perturbs gene expression and can result in human disease.

Programme available to download here (PDF). 

Biographies and audio recordings are available below.

Organisers

  • Dr Andreas Werner, Newcastle University, UK

  • Professor Denise Barlow, Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Science, Austria

  • Professor Kevin Morris, University of New South Wales, Australia

    Kevin Morris received his BS degree from Humboldt State University in 1996 and his PhD in 2001 from the University of California Davis. During his post-doctoral training at the University of California San Diego (2001-2004) he determined that non-coding RNAs were capable of modulating epigenetic directed transcriptional silencing in human cells. The Morris lab has since determined the mechanistic underpinnings of non-coding RNA mediated regulation of gene transcription in human cells, with evidence suggesting a role for longer forms of non-coding RNAs as endogenous effectors involved in epigenetically remodeling target loci in human cells. The lab is specifically interested in utilizing endogenous non-coding RNA pathways in human cells to epigenetically modulate gene expression of those genes involved in HIV, cystic fibrosis, and cancer. Notably, evidence suggests that these endogenous RNA pathways can be utilized to either epigenetically silence or activate a genes expression. The Morris lab is also active in developing cell targeted non-coding RNA delivery vehicles, such as lentiviral derived conditionally replicating vector systems and cell-targeted aptamers.