Could tiny ‘molecular robots’ made from RNA provide personalised cancer treatments – without the harmful side effects?

New research provides insight into how cells identify and discard faulty molecular machines responsible for RNA splicing.

Scientists at the John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR) at the Australian National University and Aarhus University in Denmark have achieved a major breakthrough in understanding how genes are activated in specific cells during development.

Scientists at The Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation (SDCRI) are teaming up with the community to unlock the full potential of ribonucleic acid (RNA). It could lead to breakthroughs in everything from cancer treatments and new therapies for complex diseases, to age-related macular degeneration and crop resilience.

Professor Mello delivered a riveting seminar titled: ‘RNAi: A Molecular Spark in an Information Inferno’, unravelling the complexities of RNA interference amidst a captivated audience.

Decades of RNA research by ANU experts has helped crack the code of life and assist in the fight against viruses – but that’s just the beginning.