UNC is a leading center for RNA research, with laboratories exploring the form, function, and clinical applications of RNA across a wide range of pathobiology. The RNA Discovery Center (RDC) launched in 2022 is directed by Chad Pecot, MD, and co-directed by Bill Marzluff, PhD, Qi Zhang, PhD, Silvia Ramos, PhD, Keriayn Smith, PhD, and Mauro Calabrese, PhD, and boasts numerous leaders in the field with over 40 faculty. The Center continues to expand, most recently welcoming its newest member, Prof. Joanna Kovalski,who will join the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics (BCBP) in January 2026. The RDC is a hub for RNA research, supporting graduate and postdoctoral training, fostering academic and industrial collaborations, and driving large-scale funding initiatives. This year, the RDC, BCBP, SOM, and SOP jointly launched the RNA-targeted Innovation in Drug Exploration (RIDE) initiative, led by Qi Zhang, PhD, to accelerate RNA-focused therapeutic discovery. To further foster collaboration, the Inaugural RDC Retreat was hosted early this year and included 25 posters, 80 attendees, talks from past internal grant awardees, and an external plenary talk by Stacy Honer, PhD (Professor and co-Director of Duke RNA Center).
RNA Discovery Center website