RNA is a highly dynamic and versatile molecule that serves as a central mediator of the genetic information flow. Intriguingly, eukaryotic RNAs are further decorated with a wide range of chemical modification, making the RNA landscape far more diverse and complex than that encoded in the DNA sequence alone. In recent years, it has been increasingly appreciated that these RNA modifications can play critical regulatory roles in gene expression, mark self RNAs to mute the innate immune response, participate in every stage of the RNA life cycle, and profoundly influence cellular and physiological outcomes. Despite these advances, we are only beginning to understand how these modifications may regulate RNA functions and modulate cellular signaling pathways. 

RNA modifications encompass a wide array of chemical alterations, including methylation (e.g., N6-methyladenosine, m7G, m1A, Nm), deamination (e.g., I), acetylation (e.g., ac4C), and isomerization (e.g., Pseudouridine). The Wang lab is interested in answering the basic questions of where and how certain modifications are installed and what are the biological consequences of incorporating a modification to the RNA. To answer these questions, we are harnessing cutting-edge genomics and proteomics technologies, as well pioneering novel in vitro or in cellulo assays. Using these strategies, we aim to achieve a deeper understanding of the correlation of RNA modifications with human diseases, identify the protein factors that interpret these chemical marks and connect them to downstream cell signaling, reveal their contributions to physiological processes such as innate immunity and neuronal development, and harness the regulatory potential of RNA modifications to design next-generation therapeutics.   

Trainees in the Wang Lab will be exposed to various interdisciplinary techniques, including biochemistry, chemical biology, cell biology, protein engineering, and bioinformatics.