Molecular Cartography of the Cell

The spatial cell biology of RNA

Understanding how cells compartmentalize their biomolecules into discrete subcellular structures remains one of the fundamental goals of molecular biology. RNA—long disregarded as a passive carrier of genetic information—is now known to be a central orchestrator of this compartmentalization. The Shechner Lab seeks to understand the molecular mechanisms by which RNAs nucleate, modulate, and control cellular architecture, and how these processes are dysregulated in disease. We specialize in the development of cutting edge synthetic biology-, chemical biology-, and genomics tools that are “plug-and-play,” and easily adopted by most labs. This democratized toolkit helps us to elucidate the fundamental principles governing the spatial cell biology of RNA, and to discover new potential therapeutic targets in a range of human pathologies.

We are located in the University of Washington Department of Pharmacology, and are proud affiliates of the UW Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, and the Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine.

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