Overview
For over a century, biologists have been captivated by the stunning diversity of cellular forms and functions that arise from the same genetic material. In the brain alone, there are hundreds of distinct cell types. Such exquisite specialization is largely a result of which genes are expressed and at what levels. Historically, the study of gene expression has focused predominantly on protein-coding genes, but we now know that the vast majority of RNA species transcribed from the human genome do not code for proteins.
The Kleaveland lab is fascinated by these noncoding RNAs—what they do, how they do it, and how they impact mammalian development and disease. We are currently focused on the following three areas: