Research

Overview:

The Calabrese laboratory aims to discover the mechanisms that RNAs employ to control gene expression and epigenetic state in the context of the chromatin environment. Over 80% of the genome is transcribed, and much of the RNA that is produced never leaves the nucleus. RNA therefore has vast potential to play important roles in gene regulation during development, homeostasis, and disease. Our research program aims to delineate those roles and the mechanisms involved. Our main focus is on understanding a class of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that function to repress transcription, because clear exemplars of this class of RNA have important roles in health. The lab uses a combination of genomics, genetics, molecular and cell biology, biochemistry, and computational biology to achieve its research objectives. Experimental, computational, and hybrid projects are available. A long-term goal of ours is to be able to predict and rationally-design the regulatory functions of lncRNAs from analysis of their sequence content alone. We seek to employ motivated individuals from all backgrounds and levels of expertise who are passionate about biology or computer science.