Claudia Kutter Group

Functional interactions of mammalian coding and noncoding transcriptomes

Over 200 highly specialized cells with diverse morphologies and functionalities exist in the human body, yet virtually every cell in the body contains the same genetic information. To exert cell-specific functions high fidelity mechanisms evolved to restrict the synthesis and processing of discrete sets of regulatory RNA molecules. Abnormal cell behavior as seen in many fatal human diseases, such as cancer, is often the consequence of aberrant transcripts formation.

The focus of our research is understanding the regulatory interdependencies of protein-coding and noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). ncRNAs are RNA molecules that are not translated into protein products. They are implicated in diverse cellular processes, which include the control of transcription, RNA maturation and protein synthesis. Our group studies coding and noncoding RNAs (long noncoding, transfer and small RNAs) at the transcriptome-wide level in mammalian somatic tissues and in the germline. We aim to gain mechanistic insights into the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation and processing of RNAs during organ development, cell differentiation and disease progression.

We are particularly interested in:

• revealing the origin, evolution and disease association of ncRNAs
• deciphering the molecular mechanism underpinning regulation by ncRNAs and
• validating ncRNA functions.

Our experimental approaches include:

• applying and developing high-throughput RNA sequencing methodologies and epigenetic profiling coupled to powerful computational analysis,
• detailed biochemical assays and
• phenotypic characterization using genome editing tools in mammalian cell lines and tissues.

We are an integrated team of experimental and computational scientists working in close collaboration to pursue individual research projects. Our group is affiliated to MTC and the Science for Life Laboratory where our laboratory is located.

Science for Life Laboratory

Group Members