Division of Biology and Medicine
The Brown RNA Center
News & Events
The latest news and updates from research and happenings at the RNA Center.
News & Events
The latest news and updates from research and happenings at the RNA Center.
MEDICINE@BROWN: The Rest of the Story
We thought DNA would explain it all. Turns out RNA has something to say about life and human disease.
RNA in Rhode Island
https://www.youtube.com/embed/5ZEmnP3tgJ4
The Race to Sequence RNA
Establishing Rhode Island RNA Research Hub -- Rhode Island PBS
Rhode Island Scientists Want to Establish State as an RNA Research Hub
Juan Alfonzo, a professor of molecular biology, cell biology, and biochemistry at Brown University, wants Rhode Island to become a major hub for RNA research and said there is a lot of interest from students who want to pursue the field.
Other Recent News
March 27, 2025
News from Brown
Two Brown professors elected AAAS fellows
The world’s largest multidisciplinary scientific society honored Brown faculty members from molecular biophysics and biochemistry and evolutionary biology for significant and lasting contributions to their fields.
August 13, 2024
News from Brown
Q&A with Brown biochemist on RNA, the molecule causing global excitement among scientists
Juan Alfonzo, the director of Brown’s new RNA Center, discusses the formerly “forgotten cousin” of DNA and explains what the center is doing to maximize RNA’s potential.
Medicine@Brown
‘A New Frontier’ in Medicine and More
On May 8, a panel of esteemed RNA experts—including a Nobel Prize winner—gathered in Washington, DC, to explain the incredible potential of RNA technology and urge decision-makers to support its development.
Medicine@Brown
Human RNome Project Gets Underway
In January, RNA experts from around the world gathered at Brown to roll up their sleeves and get to work on a venture that many of them say will likely be bigger, more expensive, and more daunting than the Human Genome Project.
But the outcome of this effort, known as the Human RNome Project, will also be even more consequential for human health, offering clues to develop vaccines, unlock mysteries behind rare diseases, and discover treatments for some of humanity’s most intractable illnesses, like Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and many cancers.
But the outcome of this effort, known as the Human RNome Project, will also be even more consequential for human health, offering clues to develop vaccines, unlock mysteries behind rare diseases, and discover treatments for some of humanity’s most intractable illnesses, like Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and many cancers.
December 14, 2021
News from Brown
Researchers develop an RNA-based breath test to detect COVID-19
The Bubbler, a breathalyzer device that reverse-transcribes RNA from airborne SARS-CoV-2 in breath, predicts lower respiratory tract involvement and is less invasive than alternative testing approaches, researchers say.
August 22, 2017
News from Brown
Scientists find RNA with special role in nerve healing process
The discovery in lab mice that an “anti-sense” RNA is expressed after nerve injury to regulate the repair of damage to the nerve’s myelin coating could lead to a treatment that improves healing in people.
Congressional Briefing
On May 8, 2024, leading scientists came together for an educational session about the fascinating potential of RNA to treat incurable diseases; safeguard the nation from bioterrorist threats; lead the world in next-gen data storage capabilities; and improve global food security in a changing climate.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/MB6wJbnHHvc