Awarded in 2012
Home Department: Bioengineering
Faculty Advisors: Howard Chang (Dermatology) and Asifa Akhtar (Epigenetics, Max Planck Institute)

Research Title: Decoding the sequence-structure-function relationship of lncRNAs

Research Description: RNAs not only encode the blueprint for making proteins – they also fold into complex structures, regulate gene expression, sense biomolecules, catalyze reactions, and direct important biological processes. One class of these regulatory RNAs is long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). The past decade of genomic research has revealed the pervasiveness of lncRNAs in higher organisms; however, very few have been characterized. What are their cellular roles? How do they participate in biological functions? Jeffrey’s work aims to answer these questions, focusing on fruitflies' roX lncRNAs in particular. By bridging biochemical, structural, genetic, and next-generation sequencing tools together, he plans to build a mechanistic map of how roX and other lncRNAs function.

WHERE IS HE NOW?

Jeffrey is an Associate Director for Off-Target Biology at Beam Therapeutics.