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NIH Director's Seminar Series: Developmentally Timed Regulation of Gene Expression by Short and Long Non-Coding Transcripts

Air date: Friday, February 6, 2026, 12:00:00 PM
Time displayed is Eastern Time, Washington DC Local
Description: MicroRNAs are crucial regulators of gene expression in all aspects of development and physiology. Because of their diverse roles in regulating gene expression, the dysregulation of microRNAs and their downstream gene regulatory networks contribute to a wide range of diseases – including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and hearing loss. For this reason, understanding how microRNA expression is regulated is crucial for understanding disease and tailoring novel therapeutics. In particular, the cellular mechanisms that target microRNAs for global or selective decay represent a point of intervention that could be exploited to modulate microRNA dosage, yet these pathways remain poorly understood. Dr. McJunkin will discuss ongoing research elucidating such microRNA decay pathways. By focusing on endogenous regulatory networks governing early development, Dr. McJunkin’s group has uncovered a long non-coding RNA that drives efficient, selective microRNA decay. Dr. McJunkin will discuss how these findings deepen our current understanding of microRNA decay and highlight remaining questions for future investigation.
Author: Katherine McJunkin, PhD
Runtime: 1 hour