The QUB contingent, including members of the RNA Biology group attending the 3rd Irish RNA Club annual meeting at Maynooth University.
PhD studentship
We are excited to offer a competitive PhD studentship in my group and in collaboration with Colin Adrain and Graeme Greenfield.
The studentship is funded by Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI (LLNI), who will pay stipend and tuition fees only at the UK/ROI level. However, there are no restrictions on the nationality of the LLNI funded PhD student.
Find more info about how to apply here.
This project will investigate how mRNA translation and protein synthesis quality control mechanisms influence AML cell survival and activation of the immune response under chemotherapy-induced stress. Using advanced molecular biology techniques—including CRISPR genome editing, high-throughput analysis of mRNA expression and translation (RNA-Seq and Ribo-Seq), and proteomics—you will identify key regulatory proteins in cellular quality control pathways that protect AML cells, then determine whether targeting them can enhance chemotherapy efficacy. Additionally, you will explore how disrupting these pathways influences the ability of AML cells to be “visible” to the immune system, potentially leading to new immunotherapeutic strategies.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch and also check some of our recent publications (see links below) for more info.
https://academic.oup.com/nar/article/52/20/12534/7798793
https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2413018121
https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/sciadv.adl5638
https://febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/febs.17217
New Preprint
We’re excited to share our latest study, now available on bioRxiv, uncovering a new mechanism in higher eukaryotes that connects the dots between codon usage, translation efficiency, and mRNA stability.
In this work, we investigated how translation of non-optimal codons—especially those ending in A or U at the wobble position (A/U3 codons)—can impact the stability of mRNA. While it’s known that slower translation elongation at non-optimal codons can lead to mRNA degradation, the molecular players that sense and act on this in higher eukaryotes (e.g. mammals) have remained elusive.
Our study identifies two paralogous RNA-binding proteins, ZC3H7A and ZC3H7B, as key regulators in this process. Found only in chordates, these proteins preferentially bind to mRNAs rich in A/U3 codons, where they either trigger degradation or block translation initiation. This is achieved through two distinct interactions:
- With the CCR4-NOT complex, promoting mRNA decay
- With the GIGYF2/4EHP complex, repressing translation initiation
🎉 A huge congratulations to Patric and Parisa for their outstanding work driving this study forward. And many thanks to all our collaborators, particularly our bioinformatics guru Sarah Maguire, for their invaluable contributions—this was truly a team effort!
Stay tuned for more as we continue to explore the layers of post-transcriptional regulation that shape gene expression.
Apply for a The Newton International Fellowships
The Newton International Fellowships for this year are now open for applications! If you’re a non-UK scientist looking to pursue a postdoc in the UK, you’ll need a host lab. If you’re interested in RNA biology, feel free to reach out to discuss the possibility of joining my lab. Check the link below for more details, including eligibility criteria, deadlines, etc. https://royalsociety.org/grants/newton-international/
