Research

Our lab’s mission is to understand how RNA and R-loop structures are formed and interact with proteins to control gene expression in human health and diseases. We are especially interested in understanding how these nucleic acid structures adopt diverse shapes and form complex ribonucleoprotein (RNP) assemblies to exert distinct biological functions. Our work is not only uncovering novel paradigms of gene regulation and genome integrity but is also building the foundation to design new therapeutics to modulate RNAs, R-loops, and RNPs to extend the healthy and active years of life.

 Current research topics in the lab include:

• The immunogenicity of nucleic acids and how R-loops contribute to immunity or viral replication.
• Mechanistic studies of toxic R-loops, RNAs, and other nucleic acids in neurological disorders. 
• Understanding how RNA structures organize chromatin architecture and how R-loops regulate DNA-repair pathways.

To address these fundamental gaps, the Bou-Nader lab uses state-of-the-art structural (cryoEM, X-ray crystallography & AFM), biochemical (enzymology, spectroscopy, mass spectrometry), and biophysical (calorimetry, mass photometry etc) methods. We are also developing new approaches to define how R-loops and nucleic acids control gene expression and genome integrity.