Chemical tags on RNA that control gene activity

Center for Genomic Information Encoded by RNA Nucleotide Modifications

NIH-funded research Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ · NIH-11136985

Researchers are mapping chemical tags on rRNA, tRNA, and mRNA to understand how they change gene activity in human tissues and disease.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionWeill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (New York, United States)
Project IDNIH-11136985 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This project will create new laboratory and sequencing tools to read and quantify chemical modifications on the three main types of RNA (mRNA, tRNA, rRNA). The team will profile these RNA modifications across different tissues and disease samples to build maps of the proposed "RNA code." They will study how combinations of modifications influence RNA interactions and protein production using biochemical experiments and computational analysis. The work aims to make scalable methods so these maps can be compared across many samples and conditions.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal participants would be people willing to provide tissue or blood samples from conditions suspected to involve altered RNA regulation, such as certain cancers or neurological disorders.

Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment changes are unlikely to benefit directly because this is early-stage basic research focused on mechanisms and tools.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new disease mechanisms, point to diagnostic biomarkers, and identify molecular targets for future therapies.

How similar studies have performed: Prior studies of specific RNA marks (for example m6A) have shown effects on gene expression and disease, but comprehensive, cross-RNA-type mapping and interaction studies are still novel.

Where this research is happening

New York, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.