Over 550 RNA fans attend our 5th Annual Symposium, March 25-26, 2021

With over 550 participants, this two-day symposium virtually gathered the vibrant RNA research community from the University of Michigan (U-M), the US, and around the world.

The symposium opened with remarks by Nils Walter, co-director of the U-M Center for RNA Biomedicine, who reminded the attendees of the importance of RNA research for society, as demonstrated by the COVID-19 RNA vaccine. Mats Ljungman, co-director of the U-M Center for RNA Biomedicine, emceed day 2.

Five distinguished keynote speakers presented on various RNA processes: Brenda Bass, Ph.D., University of Utah; Tracy Johnson, Ph.D., UCLA; Christopher Lima, Ph.D., Sloan Kettering Institute; Kevin Weeks, Ph.D., University of North Carolina; and Feng Zhang, Ph.D., MIT.

Six U-M junior and early career scientists presented their research in data blitzes: Adrien Chauvier, Ph.D., Postdoc and Research Assistant; Daniel Peltier, M.D., Ph.D., Clinical Lecturer; Meredith Purchal, Graduate Student; Cathy Smith, Graduate Student; Shannon Wright, Graduate Student; and Yan Zhang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor.

The panel discussion also provided many inspiring recommendations to trainees and mentors, from life/work balance and time management, to networking, and sharing scientific passion with one’s community. These will be summarized in the next issue of The RNA Transcript.

The Michigan Science Writers, a student organization dedicated to improving public understanding of science, graciously blogged about the event. READ THE BLOGS

The data blitzes were co-sponsored by Lexogen.
This event was supported by the University of Michigan Biosciences Initiative.

See the DETAILED PROGRAM.

Please respond to the symposium FEEDBACK SURVEY.

Together, we can do so much.
Thank you all for making this symposium such a success!