Chad Pecot, MD, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Oncology and member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, will lead the new center dedicated to the investigation of the many roles of RNA in health and disease.
The UNC RNA Discovery Center, funded through the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, will cultivate an inclusive community of scientists dedicated to investigating all aspects of RNA biology, some of which has already been implicated in human diseases and much of which we know very little about.
The center will be led by Director Chad Pecot, MD, UNC Lineberger member and associate professor in the UNC School of Medicine’s Division of Oncology in the UNC Department of Medicine.
“Our main goals are to recruit and train the world’s top talent in RNA research, to make key discoveries in the basic and translational sciences, to study the various roles of RNA in health and disease, and to commercialize RNA-based tools and medicines to help the people of North Carolina and around the world, Pecot said. “We’re also creating a strong environment of diversity, equity and inclusion, and we’re planning to be intentional about how we support traditionally disadvantaged trainees.”
The center will support graduate and post-doctorate fellowships, faculty collaborations and several key staff to support the Center’s infrastructure. “The center will also begin applying for collaborative funding mechanisms, ranging from multi-PI R01s, foundational grants all the way to program project grants,” Pecot added.
The RNA Discovery Center is rapidly growing and already consists of faculty across the UNC School of Medicine, UNC Lineberger, the UNC College of Arts and Sciences, and the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Please contact Chad Pecot if you have an interest in learning more.