An updated LncTarD 2.0 database provides a comprehensive resource on key lncRNA-target regulations, their influenced functions and lncRNA-mediated regulatory mechanisms in human diseases. LncTarD 2.0 was updated with several new features, including (i) an increased number of disease-associated lncRNA entries, where the current release provides 8360 key lncRNA-target regulations, with 419 disease subtypes and 1355 lncRNAs; (ii) predicted 3312 out of 8360 lncRNA-target regulations as potential diagnostic or therapeutic biomarkers in circulating tumor cells (CTCs); (iii) addition of 536 new, exp ..read more

Are you an ambitious MSc or PhD student seeking a challenge at the forefront of genomics, computational biology and RNA therapeutics? The Laboratory for Genomics of Long Noncoding RNAs (GOLD Lab) is hiring! We have multiple PhD and Postdoctoral opportunities for ambitious young researchers with experimental or quantitative backgrounds. Find all the details here: https://www.gold-lab.org/we-are-hiring   ..read more

Image of a mouse pancreatic islet, regions in the pancreas that contain beta cells which secret insulin. The HASTER regulatory element has been knocked out in this mouse, resulting in changes to beta cell function that cause diabetes. Credit: Miguel A Garriga/CRG Researchers at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) and Imperial College London have found a switch that regulates the activity of a gene that causes diabetes. The findings, published in Nature Cell Biology, highlights potential new vulnerabilities in the disease and could lead to the development of new therapeutic strategie ..read more

November 8 – 10, 2022 | Boston, MA As the RNA revolution continues off the back of the COVID-19 pandemic, large pharma and investors turn their attention to emerging non-coding RNA therapies beyond just mRNA. Built with world-class biopharmaceutical industry insights, this industry-, therapeutic- and translational-focused meeting will set the scene for non-coding RNAs, such as lncRNAs and microRNAs, for their successful development into the clinic. Expertise from new and emerging companies in this rapidly growing space will cover the identification, validation and development ..read more

Promising ‘dark matter’ cancer therapy has clinical trials in sight Amaroq Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focussed on developing a new class of therapeutics that target lncRNA in cancer, is progressing towards clinical trials following a promising initial development phase and securing key appointments to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Amaroq Therapeutics is pleased to announce early milestone achievements and the appointment of Prof David L. Spector (chair), Prof Sherene Loi, Prof Anna Pyle, and Dr Henrik Ørum as SAB members. “W ..read more

In a new study, researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified the presence of a specific connection between a protein and an lncRNA molecule in liver cancer. By increasing the presence of the lncRNA molecule, the fat depots of the tumor cell decrease, which causes the division of tumor cells to cease, and they eventually die. The study, published in the journal Gut, contributes to increased knowledge that can add to a better diagnosis and future cancer treatments. Our genome gives our cells instructions that determine each cell type’s highly specialized function. The information is s ..read more

HAYA Therapeutics is a precision therapeutics company that discovers and develops innovative tissue- and cell-selective genomic medicines for fibrotic diseases and other serious health conditions associated with aging, including cancer. The company’s discovery engine focuses on long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) within the “dark matter”of the human genome — key tissue and cell-specific drivers of fibrosis and other disease processes — to identify novel targets and drug candidates with the potential for greater efficacy and safety than existing treatments. Headquartered in Lausanne (Switzerland ..read more

Scientists recently reported the key role of histone acetylation-regulated long noncoding RNA termed as lysosome cell death regulator (LCDR) in tumor survival, providing a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target for lung cancer. Led by Prof. GAO Shan from the Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), these scientists revealed that knockdown of the LCDR in lung cancer cells could promote apoptosis. Results were published in PNAS. Lysosome is involved in cellular homeostasis and its dysregulation has been linked ..read more

Fungi of the Candida genus cause diseases such as vaginal candidiasis (highly prevalent but not serious) and systemic candidiasis (rare but can be fatal in immunocompromised patients). Although some treatments are available, these infections are becoming increasingly resistant to drugs, so finding new therapeutic approaches is crucial for global health. Dr. Toni Gabaldón, ICREA researcher and group leader at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), and postdoctoral researcher Dr. Hrant Hovhannisyan have ident ..read more

Skeletal muscle displays remarkable plasticity upon exercise, but is at the same time one of our organs that is most affected by aging. Skeletal muscle aging is characterized by estimated yearly losses of ~1% muscle mass and ~3% muscle strength in the elderly, resulting in an accumulated net loss of >30% muscle mass during aging. This process is further exacerbated by sarcopenia, a degenerative disease syndrome whose prevalence is projected to increase tremendously in our aging societies. A team led by researchers at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne found that expression of the lo ..read more