UNews - RNA

Kothe eager to bring science to the community

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 16:20:04 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge biochemist Dr. Ute Kothe has never been shy about taking science to the community – or better yet, bringing the community into her lab. As a staunch promoter of science outreach activities to local youth, Kothe is an ideal selection as the opening speaker for the 2017/18 PUBlic Professor Series.

Her presentation subject, From the Beginnings of Life to Modern Medicine: Why RNA Matters (Thursday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. in the Lethbridge Lodge), is dear to her heart as one of the lead scientists in the U of L’s Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute (ARRTI). And while the importance of RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) will be the focus of the evening, an undertone will be the science outreach activities Kothe leads in southern Alberta and the opportunity to expand both RNA research and outreach as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Destination Project nears completion.

Dr. Ute Kothe has an undeniable passion for studying RNA, while also promoting science to youth throughout the soouthern Alberta region.

“I really want to get the message out about RNA. RNA is the hidden gem of biomolecules because it’s been overlooked for a long time. Many people don’t know about it, but it’s so important!” says Kothe. “This is a great opportunity to tell the story of the basic science and understanding of this fascinating molecule and how it matters to the new approaches in medicine that will become therapeutics in the next 10 to 20 years.”

Kothe came to the U of L in 2006, having just completed her PhD studies. She quickly established herself in the RNA field of study and then tapped into another passion, science outreach. In 2012, Kothe was recognized by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) with the Synapse Mentorship Award for her efforts to expose young people to science education and career possibilities. In 2014, the U of L recognized her with the Distinguished Teaching Award and just recently, she was elected to The College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists by the Royal Society of Canada.

Her passion for RNA is undeniable, but it is an overall love for science and the doors it can open for fertile young minds that drives Kothe and is apparent in the outreach activities she and her Let’s Talk Science team coordinate.

“I always had a thirst for knowledge and understanding as a child, and later in high school I realized how much science can explain, and that was really fascinating,” she says, crediting a high school teacher for dabbling in biochemistry as part of the curriculum.

A simple explanation of how the food you eat is converted into energy in your body had her hooked.

“I was stunned that you could see exactly what happened to a glucose molecule until it was combusted into energy in your muscles. That was just mind-blowing to me, and then I wanted to know more. That’s why I started studying biochemistry,” she says.

Her science outreach activities allow her to experience that joy all over again, only from a different perspective.

“In every group I work with, there will be this one student who asks me a question I didn’t expect. Often, I can answer it for them and the student is surprised by my answer. They get this aha moment and there’s a leap in understanding of what science can do and what science can explain,” she says. “This effect, seeing this spark in their eyes, is the best reward ever, and in science outreach, I get to experience it over and over.”

She revels at getting the opportunity, through PUBlic Professor, to demystify her beloved RNA. Often overshadowed by its kin DNA, Kothe explains that the scientific world has just recently seen an explosion in understanding the power of RNA.

“DNA stores cell information, which is important, but all your cells contain the same information. So why is it that our brain is so different from our liver? Because the DNA is used to make different RNAs, and the RNAs are the master regulators that determine what happens. They execute the information, and every year there is a new discovery of exciting processes that RNA is regulating.”

She explains only now are the world’s first drugs being developed using RNA and that the field of study is wide open.

“RNA is simple enough that we can already use it now as a tool to influence what happens in our body,” says Kothe. “The first drugs are out that are based on RNA. It is amazing to me that you can go relatively rapidly from the basic understanding of what is happening in the body to influencing a disease with a drug that is based on this biomolecule.”

The PUBlic Professor Series continues throughout the months of September, October, November, January, February and March. Look for upcoming speakers at uleth.ca/artsci/public-professor.

Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute welcomes Gairdner Award winner for public lectures

trevor.kenney — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 18:58:19 +0000

The Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute (ARRTI) is delighted to host Dr. Rodolphe Barrangou, recipient of the 2016 Canada Gairdner International Award, for a public speaker event on Monday, Nov. 14, 2016.

This is the fourth consecutive year that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has had the opportunity to partner with the Canada Gairdner Foundation, bringing to campus some of the world’s top research minds.

Dr. Rodolphe Barrangou is renowned for his work in establishing and characterizing the CRISPR-Cas bacterial immune defense system.

“The Canada Gairdner Awards are Canada’s most prestigious medical awards, exceeded in prestige by only a few international science awards, including the Nobel Prize in Medicine,” says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Vice-President (Research) Dr. Erasmus Okine. “We’re thrilled to be able to bring these people to campus to speak about their research and how they are solving some of the world’s most pressing medical questions.”

Barrangou, an Associate Professor in the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences at North Carolina State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, is renowned for his work in establishing and characterizing the CRISPR-Cas bacterial immune defense system.

“Through his research, Dr. Barrangou has paved the way for numerous exciting applications ranging from medicine to agriculture and basic research using so called gene scissors,” explains Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden, director of ARRTI. “The CRISPR-Cas system allows for the precise and fast manipulation of genetic material with the long-term potential to cure genetic diseases. Already, this system has initiated a revolution in generating new and better crops and testing the function of numerous genes in plants and animals in the research lab. CRISPR-Cas system technology has already made a huge impact on the global economy and it was developed from basic research that took place only a decade ago.”

During his two-day visit to southern Alberta, Barrangou will share his scientific insight through lectures at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and the Agriculture and Agri-Food Research Centre. Monday’s lecture at the U of L is at 1 p.m. in the Students’ Union Ballroom (SU300B) and is open to the public. Barrangou will explain his research as well as the far-reaching implications of these CRISPR-Cas systems, or gene scissors, for society.

Barrangou will also seek to inspire the next generation of young scientists by presenting a lecture, The Many Hats Scientists Wear, to students at Lethbridge Collegiate Institute and École La Vérendrye, in English and French respectively.

“It is an important responsibility of the Gairdner Award winners to share their personal career story and passion for research with youth,” says Dr. Ute Kothe, faculty supervisor of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Let’s Talk Science Program. “Thereby, the students are getting inspired to pursue scientific careers and learn to appreciate the far-reaching impact of scientific discoveries.”

Barrangou’s busy schedule will also see him join ARRTI researchers for a scientific symposium on Tuesday, Nov. 15. Barrangou will share his expertise and career advice with U of L student researchers who are working in related fields. The symposium has a special focus on young investigators and is supported by the Alberta Epigenetics Network.

“RNA is a central molecule in all cells. Dr. Barrangou’s work exemplifies the importance of RNA research that can lead to innovations in medicine, agriculture and biotechnology,” says Wieden. “We are proud to have a strong RNA research cluster with ARRTI at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.”

The Canada Gairdner Awards are Canada’s most prestigious medical award, recognizing and celebrating the research of the world’s best and brightest biomedical researchers. Established in 1959, more than 320 Canada Gairdner International Awards have been given to scientists from 15 countries; of these recipients, 83 have subsequently won the Nobel Prize in Medicine.

Renowned RNA researcher to present Gairdner lecture events

trevor.kenney — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 17:11:18 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute (ARRTI) is thrilled to partner with the Canada Gairdner Foundation in bringing 2015 Canada Gairdner Foundation International Award winner Dr. Lynne Maquat to southern Alberta for a series of public speaker events.

Maquat, whose work has furthered our understanding of the molecular basis of human disease,will be involved in a trio of speaker events, including a presentation to students at Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, as a featured speaker for the Women’s Scholar Speaker Series (A Conversation with Dr. Lynne Maquat on Women and Science, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 12 p.m. in TH241) and as the keynote lecturer for the Canada Gairdner Symposium, New Horizons in RNA Research, Oct. 20-21, 2015. That free lecture takes place on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 2 p.m. in the Students' Union Ballroom.

Dr. Lynne Maquat earned the 2015 Canada Gairdner Foundation International Award for the discovery of the mechanism that destroys mutant messenger RNAs in human cells, which is critically important in both normal and disease states.

“In the last three years we have had the opportunity to work with the Canada Gairdner Foundation and bring some of the world’s top researchers to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge,” says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Vice-President (Research) Dr. Erasmus Okine. In 2013, the U of L welcomed Dr. Samuel Weiss at a Gairdner Foundation Speaker Event, and last year Dr. Nubia Muñoz brought her expertise to campus.

“The Canada Gairdner International Award is exceeded in prestige by only a few international science awards, including the Nobel Prize in Medicine,” adds Okine. “We feel very fortunate to be able to bring these researchers to southern Alberta and give them a platform by which they can inspire students of all ages to pursue their passion for science.”

Maquat is the director of the Center for RNA Biology: From Genome to Therapeutics, professor of biochemistry and biophysics at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, and a J. Lowell Orbison Endowed Chair. She earned the 2015 Canada Gairdner Foundation International Award for the discovery of the mechanism that destroys mutant messenger RNAs in human cells, called nonsense-mediated mRNA decay, which is critically important in both normal and disease states.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) takes genetic instructions from DNA and uses these to direct the synthesis of proteins that carry out multiple cellular functions. Maquat discovered nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) in human cells. NMD is a quality control mechanism that removes flawed messenger RNA molecules that, if left intact, would lead to the production of abnormal proteins that could be toxic to cells and initiate disease. Cells also use this pathway to better respond to changing environmental conditions. For example, breast cancer cells inhibit this pathway to augment their response to chemotherapy and hasten cell death.

NMD functions in one-third of inherited disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, and one-third of acquired diseases, including many forms of cancer. Her work provides valuable information to help physicians implement personalized or precision medicine by treating the disease mutation that is specific to each individual patient.

“With our focus on RNA research here in ARRTI, we are very excited about Dr. Maquat’s visit. Her profile will attract researchers from Lethbridge, Calgary and Edmonton to participate in the ARRTI Canada Gairdner Symposium,” says Dr. Ute Kothe, professor of chemistry and biochemistry. “Dr. Maquat has transformed the field of RNA research by using fundamental research to discover cellular mechanisms that lead to future therapies. All students and researchers are looking forward to learn from her and to discuss the latest findings in biomedical RNA research with her. In particular our students will benefit from the personal interaction with such a successful researcher.”

Since 1959, there have been 321 researchers presented with the Canada Gairdner International Award, 82 of which have gone on to win a Nobel Prize in Medicine. The Canada Gairdner International Award has an international reputation for recognizing outstanding medical breakthroughs, and it is now widely considered to be an indicator of future Nobel-Prize winning research.

In addition, the Canada Gairdner Foundation is a national education program supported by the Government of Canada as well as the Government of Alberta. In 2008, the Canadian Government provided the Canada Gairdner Foundation with $20 million to continue the award for future generations. Part of this funding is used to inspire young people to consider medical and scientific careers, and to increase public awareness of the value of scientific research and discovery.

UNews - RNA

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