Nicole Meisner-Kober ist als Senior Investigator für RNA Biology an den Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research in Basel tätig.
Abstract:
RNA biology represents a fascinating facet of how Nature has solved physiological problems. Other than its traditionally accepted role as information carrier, the last decade has revealed a long list of unprecedented functions for RNA in cell signaling, homeostasis and pathology. RNA can guide proteins to DNA or other RNA to control gene expression, induce epigenetic alterations or edit our genome. RNA can itself have protein-like functions as structural scaffold, enzyme or signaling molecule. RNA can shuttle between cells, tissues and organisms to modulate fate and physiology of the recipient.  While this opens up an entirely new world of opportunities for biomedical research, RNA biology yet has to be adequately exploited for the discovery and development of innovative medicines. Here I will highlight three examples from our RNA centric drug discovery work at Novartis; (1) Targeting dysregulated RNA processing in inflammation and cancer by small molecule drugs. (2) Discovery of small molecules to eliminate toxic repeat RNA in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. (3) Overcoming the delivery challenge for RNA drugs by hitchhiking onto intercellular RNA transport via extracellular vesicles.