School of Biomedical Sciences cordially invites you to join the following seminar:

Speaker: Professor Chaolin Zhang, Associate Professor, Department of Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, and Motor Neuron Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Talk Title: Mapping and targeting RNA regulation

Date: 14 October 2024 (Monday)
Time: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Venue: Lecture Theatre 1, 1/F, 3 Sassoon Road
Host: Professor Yuanhua Huang

Biography

Professor Chaolin Zhang is an Associate Professor with joint appointments in the Department of Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, and Motor Neuron Center at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He received his PhD training in computational biology at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and then performed Postdoctoral work at Rockefeller University, New York. Before that, he obtained a bachelor's degree studying Automation at Tsinghua University, Beijing. As a converted biologist originally trained in engineering, he has a deep interest in understanding gene regulatory logics. From the beginning of his academic endeavor, he decided to tackle the RNA code, i.e., how specific protein-RNA interactions determine the gene output in health and disease conditions, which remains the focus of his lab.

Abstract

In his talk, Professor Zhang will introduce their long-term pursuit to map protein-RNA interactions and define RNA-regulatory networks by analyzing and integrating multiple modalities of high-throughput genomic data. These RNA-binding-protein (RBP)-centric studies have led to an improved understanding of the targeting specificity of RNA-binding proteins and their roles in driving developmental stage and cell type-specific alternative splicing regulatory programs in the nervous system. He will also discuss their recent ongoing efforts to develop technologies that enable one to precisely manipulate RNA regulation, including CRISPR-based high-throughput screening for splicing-regulatory elements in disease target genes. An ultimate goal is to develop “exon-centric” strategies to target RNA regulation using antisense oligos (ASOs) and other approaches for precision genetic medicine.

ALL ARE WELCOME
Should you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact Miss Crystal Chan at 3917 6830.