Ben Kesler
University of Arizona
Gregor Neuert lab
Genomic Sequencing has shown that a large fraction of DNA is transcribed into RNA but does not code for proteins. Genome-wide studies have identified many long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), yet very little is known about their functions. The Neuert lab's previous studies have demonstrated that non-coding RNAs modulate the localization of key transcription factors, which influence the occurrence of downstream events that lead to active or silenced transcription. I will use a combination of quantitative single-molecule RNA experiments and modeling to understand the molecular mechanism of transcriptional regulation of long non-coding RNAs in mammals to greater detail.