###Understanding the physical principles of RNA topology regulation
Project ID: 2228bd1213 (You will need this ID for your application)
Research Theme: Physical Sciences
UCL Lead department: Division of Biosciences
Lead Supervisor: Graeme King
Project Summary:
Why this research is important:
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a multi-functional nucleic acid that plays essential roles in many biological processes, from gene regulation to protein production. In order to perform these distinct roles, RNA adopts a wide range of complex 3D structures (topologies). Understanding the physical principles that drive the formation of these structures is expected to have significant impact on the potential to exploit RNA nanostructures for therapeutic and biotechnology applications. The aim of this project is to understand how mechanical stress, enzymatic activity and the local chemical environment can be exploited to regulate RNA topology.
Who you will be working with:
The project will be conducted in the lab Dr Graeme King. The King lab is an interdisciplinary lab that seeks to understand the physical principles that underpin genomic processes. To achieve this, the lab uses a combination of novel single-molecule biophysical approaches, nucleic acid engineering and quantitative data analysis. The project will be supported by Dr Kristine Arnvig, who is an expert in RNA biology and will provide specialist support in the synthesis of RNA substrates.
What you will be doing:
You will gain skills in the use of cutting-edge single-molecule biophysical approaches (based on optical tweezers) to generate and manipulate complex, biologically-relevant RNA nanostructures. Using these approaches, you will characterise how mechanical stress, enzymatic activity and the local chemical environment alter the topology and stability of these structures. To facilitate this, you will also synthesise custom RNA substrates using advanced nucleic acid engineering and in vitro transcription.
Who we are looking for:
The ideal candidate will have a degree in either physics, chemistry or biochemistry and have a strong interest in understanding the physical principles of nucleic acid processes. You should also have an interest in gaining skills in both single-molecule biophysics and RNA engineering.