Institute of Genomics and RNomics

Research at the Institute for Genomics and RNomics focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that control gene expression, which is the fundamental process that leads to a plethora of protein-coding and non-coding RNAs, as well as proteins underlying cell function. Our research also seeks to reveal how alterations in gene expression can lead to human diseases.

We study the regulation and dysregulation of gene expression through an interdisciplinary combination of functional genomics approaches, biochemistry and cell biology methods, and advanced computational tools. We are also developing new quantitative approaches, primarily high-resolution, systems-wide RNA analysis methods.

Research of the Mayer Lab aims at the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control gene transcription and RNA processing, and how their dysregulation can lead to diseases, particularly leukemias and neurological disorders.

The Erlacher Lab focuses on the regulatory power of natural and non-natural RNA modifications over protein synthesis and on how these modifications can be engineered for use in synthetic biology.