Departmental Seminar: Dr. Rachel Niederer

Guest Speaker: Rachel Niederer, PhD Assistant Professor University of Michigan Title: “Does structure always lead to function? Investigating the effect of RNA secondary structure on translation initiation” Translational control of gene expression plays an essential role during development, response to stress and a wide range of cellular processes. However, the key mRNA features that distinguish efficiently translated from poorly translated mRNAs remain largely unknown. Our lab utilizes a combination of high throughput experimental methods, biochemistry and molecular biology to both discover translational control elements and characterize novel regulatory mechanisms impacting gene expression. Faculty Host: Dr. Joel McManus