11月12日水木清华生命科学讲座系列 - 陈玲玲

时间：2020-11-12 15:00-16:00

主讲人：陈玲玲

主题：Lnc-ing RNA Processing and Function

地点：清华大学生物新馆143

Title:

Lnc-ing RNA Processing and Function

Abstract:

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as new regulators in gene expression networks and exhibit a surprising range of shapes and sizes. Many lncRNAs are transcribed by RNA polymerase II and are capped, polyadenylated, and spliced like mRNAs. By developing methods for genome-wide discovery and characterization of non-polyadenylated RNAs, we have identified several RNA species with unexpected formats. These RNAs are derived from long primary transcripts via unusual RNA processing pathways and are stabilized by different mechanisms, including capping by small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA)–protein (snoRNP) complexes at their ends or forming circular structures. We have shown that some such RNAs are involved in gene regulation and are also implicated in human diseases. I will discuss our most recent findings of underlying mechanisms related to their formation and function.

Biography:

Ling-Ling Chen carried out doctoral and post-doctoral work in Biomedical Science at UConn Health, USA with Gordon G. Carmichael from 2004 and 2010. She also completed an MBA degree in Management at the UConn Business School in 2009 and was promoted to Assistant Professor in Residence at UConn in 2010. Chen moved to the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences as an independent PI in 2011 and was tenured in 2017. She was selected as the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) International Research Scholar in 2017.

Chen primarily studies long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), a giant class of RNA molecules that are emerging as important regulators in gene expression networks. Her group has pioneered methods for studying non-polyadenylated RNAs and discovered widespread expressed snoRNA-related lncRNAs and circular RNAs. In addition to the characterization of their unusual biogenesis pathways, her group discovered that some sno-lncRNAs are conspicuously absent from patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome and circular RNAs are involved in innate immunity regulation and related to the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus. Her group now continues efforts to elucidate the biogenesis and function of these regulatory RNAs in different cellular contexts and in relevant human diseases.

Chen serves the community as Editorial Boards of several journals: Cell, Cell Chem Biol, Genome Biol, RNA, RNA Biol, Science, Trends Cell Biol, Trends Genet and Trends Biochem Sci and as an organizer of meetings including CSHA on RNA Biology (2018-2022), Annual Meeting of the RNA Society (2020), CSHL on Regulatory RNA (2020-2022) and Keystone Symposium on Noncoding RNAs. She is the recipient of CBIS Young Investigator 2016, LOREAL China for Women in Science 2016, Young Investigator Award of CAS 2018, China Youth Science and Technology Award 2020 and Xplorer Prize 2020.

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