The RNA Collaborative celebrates its first year of success!

Launched at the initiative of the University of Michigan Center for RNA Biomedicine, and inaugurated on April 22, 2020, with a seminar hosted by the Yale Center for RNA Science and Medicine, the RNA Collaborative Seminar Series is a growing grassroots effort, now supported by the international RNA Society and involving 21 RNA research partners from across the world, including the US and Canada, Asia, and Europe.

The RNA Collaborative aims to promote and disseminate the exciting RNA research currently emerging from across disciplines and academic institutions. It fosters and strengthens connections within the RNA scientific community across the globe. Within just one year, the Collaborative has welcomed 21 partners, demonstrating the dynamism of RNA research and the curiosity and collaborative spirit of RNA scientists.

“Congratulations to the RNA Collaborative in their milestone of uniting RNA researchers and advancing engaging and inclusive RNA science. The RNA Society is proud to be a partner in this incredible initiative and excited for the continued opportunity to work with the Collaborative to highlight the work of a diverse and highly talented group of researchers and spread their cutting-edge advances in RNA to our members and throughout the greater scientific community.”
—Kristian Baker, CEO, RNA Society

“The RNA Collaborative Seminar Series offers a terrific networking venue for graduate students, post-docs, faculty, and technicians who seek to keep up-to-date with new findings and methodologies from the international RNA World,” says Lynne E. Maquat, Ph.D., J. Lowell Orbison Endowed Chair and Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics and Director, Center for RNA Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center.

“Who would have thought a year ago that COVID-19 – a devastating, RNA virus-based disease with RNA vaccines now bringing us salvation – would bring us together for faster and broader dissemination of our work via the internet? Without having to travel, borders inhibiting scientific exchange have simply vanished,” adds Nils G. Walter, Dr. Ing., Francis S. Collins Collegiate Professor of Chemistry, Biophysics & Biological Chemistry and Founding Co-Director, Center for RNA Biomedicine, University of Michigan.

The RNA Collaborative’s initial goal was to provide an online seminar series during and beyond the institutional shut-down caused by COVID-19. From April 22, 2020 through April 21, 2021, the Collaborative has offered a total of 24 webinars. They continue to be held virtually every other Wednesday, at either 9:00 am ET (1:00 pm GMT) or 4:00 pm ET (8:00 pm GMT), and are announced on the RNA Society website. The webinars are recorded and freely accessible on the RNA Collaborative’s YouTube Channel. On average, each seminar attracts about 200 participants, including from the broader public.

The RNA Collaborative is currently considering additional activities that will further leverage the power of collaboration. In the fall of 2021, we expect to launch several more collaborative initiatives. Stay tuned!

The 21 RNA Collaborative participating centers include: Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute (ARRTI), Cambridge RNA Club, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Groupe de Recherche RNA, Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), MD Anderson Center for RNA Interference and Non-Coding RNAs, NCI RNA Biology Initiative, NUS-CSI Singapore RNA Biology Center, Penn RNA Group – University of Pennsylvania, RiboClub Sherbrooke, Shanghai RNA Club, The Bay Area RNA Club (BARC), The RNA Institute, University At Albany, UCSC Center for Molecular Biology of RNA, UMass Medical School, RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Michigan Center for RNA Biomedicine, University of Rochester Center for RNA Biology, and Yale Center for RNA Science and Medicine

The RNA Collaborative webpage is generously supported by The RNA Society.

For more information on joining the RNA Collaborative, please contact Martina Jerant at mjerant@umich.edu.