Home Department: Bioengineering
Mentor: Felix Horns (Genetics)

“Designing Programmable RNA Exporters For Live Cell RNA Isoform Sequencing"

Developing neurons depend on the precise temporal regulation of RNA isoforms to establish functional brain circuits, yet the specific dynamics of isoform usage remain poorly understood. Current methods to measure RNA isoform usage require cellular destruction, providing only static snapshots and obscuring how isoforms guide processes like early circuit assembly or transitions to homeostasis. To address this, Lucas aims to create a novel RNA export system using CRISPR-Cas13 proteins to selectively export and sequence specific RNA isoforms from living neurons. This system will enable non-destructive tracking of RNA regulation, revealing critical splicing events that underlie healthy and diseased neurological samples.