Grant: Operating Grant

The control of cell division is a crucial process for all living organisms, from single-celled bacteria to humans. For example, the adult human body is made up of trillions of cells, all of which arose through successive divisions of pre-existing cells, starting with the fertilized egg. The process of cell division is extremely complex and tightly regulated by evolutionarily conserved genes and molecular machines in our cells. When this regulation goes awry, resulting in defective or uncontrolled cell division, this can often lead to the development of diseases such as cancer. While most research has focused on the role of protein machines in the control of cell division, we have found that another class of cellular molecules, ribonucleic acids (RNA), are likely to play a central role in this regulation. We will employ a variety experimental systems and approaches, including genetic studies in human cells and in the fruitfly Drosophila, as well as cutting edge genomics and cell biological approaches, to characterize the roles played by RNA molecules in cell division regulation. This work will reveal new mechanisms of cell division control and will lay the foundation for the development of RNA-oriented therapies to treat human diseases.