RNA News and Research

RSS

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a biologically important type of molecule that consists of a long chain of nucleotide units. Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous base, a ribose sugar, and a phosphate.

Cryo-electron microscopy offers an unprecedented view of gene transcription

The enzyme RNA polymerase (RNAP) carries out transcription, copying DNA into RNA. It's the first step in gene expression, and a process fundamental to all life.

30 Apr 2026

Liquid biopsy predicts immune response in high-risk breast cancer patients

Immunotherapy has become a standard of care in treating high-risk, early-stage breast cancers, yet it has had limited success in shrinking tumors.

30 Apr 2026

Inflammation from leaking mitochondria drives aggressive pancreatic cancer growth

Scientists at The Wistar Institute and clinical researchers from ChristianaCare's Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute have discovered a vulnerability in pancreatic cancer that could be targeted as a potential therapy.

30 Apr 2026

UCLA researchers build programmable artificial organelles using RNA

Just as the human body relies on organs such as the heart or liver for essential functions, cells depend on their own tiny organs, or organelles, to carry out vital tasks, including transporting nutrients, removing waste and regulating genetic activity.

30 Apr 2026

Single-cell sequencing reveals why some CAR-T therapies succeed while others fail

Single-cell RNA sequencing is giving researchers a clearer view of why some CAR-T cells persist, expand, kill tumors effectively, or become exhausted. The review synthesizes 44 clinical scRNA-seq studies involving 500 patients and highlights how exhaustion, memory, cytotoxicity, clonal diversity, and metabolism may shape CAR-T responses.

30 Apr 2026

How multi-omics is changing what scientists can see in the human immune system

Human systems immunology is using multi-omics, single-cell tools, spatial technologies, and AI to decode immune responses across real-world human cohorts. The review highlights major opportunities for biomarker discovery and precision medicine, while stressing the need for rigorous study design, validation, and careful interpretation.

29 Apr 2026

Epigenetic changes reshape Dicer enzyme function in cancer and reproduction

Activation of a specific part of the Dicer enzyme can change its shape in a way that affects its critical role in proper cell division, with implications for both cancer biology and fertility, according to researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

28 Apr 2026

Scientists identify specialized cells that trigger bone marrow cavity growth

Bone marrow is the spongy tissue located within the hollow center of bones, serving as the primary site for the continuous production of red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells.

28 Apr 2026

Study identifies "RNA dicing" as a key cancer driver

Scientists have uncovered an unexpected way cells can generate cancer-driving proteins—by cutting RNA into shorter, functional fragments rather than following the standard blueprint.

28 Apr 2026

New light-based technique reveals the inner workings of cells

Human cells adjust to ever-changing conditions while preserving internal states necessary for survival, but exactly how they achieve both adaptability and stability remains unclear. For the first time, researchers, including those from the University of Tokyo, used a light-based technique called Raman spectroscopy to create snapshots of the entire protein landscape inside an E. coli cell in a nondestructive manner.

28 Apr 2026

Twice-yearly blood pressure treatment could reshape hypertension care, but doctors warn against a “fire-and-forget” approach

Long-acting RNA interference therapy for hypertension could shift blood pressure control from daily pill-taking to scheduled, system-led protection. But the authors warn that this “vaccine-like” model must preserve lifestyle support, monitoring, and follow-up to avoid clinical disengagement.

27 Apr 2026

New immune mapping tool reveals how lung cancer reshapes immune cells

Researchers at VIB and VUB have developed a powerful new way to study how the immune system behaves inside lung tumors.

27 Apr 2026

Scientists seek to reverse neurodegeneration by eliminating harmful RNA pollution

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, the Salk Institute and Sanford Burnham Prebys have received a four-year, $13 million award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to investigate how to reverse age-related neurodegeneration by eliminating what the researchers call "RNA pollution" in aging neurons.

27 Apr 2026

Scientists map 239 human-infective RNA viruses to track future outbreak risks

Researchers updated the global catalogue of human-infective RNA viruses to 239 ICTV-recognised species, incorporating taxonomy, discovery dates, locations, genome links, host range, transmissibility, and transmission routes. The dataset shows that most known human-infective RNA viruses remain strictly zoonotic, while only a minority are endemic in humans or capable of epidemic spread.

26 Apr 2026

Engineered cells boost production of gene editing delivery vehicles

Gene editing has emerged as a powerful approach for targeting the genetic causes of disease, but getting the editing machinery into the right cells efficiently, safely, and at the scale needed for therapies remains one of the biggest set of challenges in the field.

25 Apr 2026

Fucosylated IgG drives adipose tissue dysfunction during aging

A study published in Engineering has identified fucosylated immunoglobulin G (IgG) as a key mediator contributing to adipose tissue dysfunction during aging, offering insights into age-related metabolic disorders and potential therapeutic targets.

25 Apr 2026

Intercellular heme transfer pathway sustains red blood cell production under stress

Scientists have long been puzzled by how maturing red blood cells manage to produce all the hemoglobin they need to carry oxygen to tissues, even after shedding the vital structures they need to produce it.

25 Apr 2026

L-arginine stabilizes protein droplets and prevents harmful fibril formation

Protein droplets serve important biological functions within cells, but in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, these liquid-like droplets can form solid-like clumps known as fibrils.

23 Apr 2026

New study maps early molecular changes in jaw joint osteoarthritis

Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) affect a large portion of the global population and are a common source of chronic jaw pain and difficulty in chewing or speaking.

23 Apr 2026

Antisense oligonucleotides reverse rare neurodevelopmental disorder in preclinical models

Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have found they can reverse the effects of HNRNPH2-related neurodevelopmental disorder using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) in preclinical models. ASOs are short synthetic nucleic acid strands that target specific messenger RNA.

22 Apr 2026