MicroRNA cues from nature

Title : MicroRNA cues from nature

Abstract:

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNA (18-24 nt long) that fine-tune gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. With the advent of "multi-omics" analysis and sequencing approaches, they have now been implicated in every facet of basic molecular networks, including metabolism, homeostasis, and cell survival to aid cellular machinery in adapting to changing environmental cues. MicroRNAs are important regulatory molecules in such processes, just as they are now well-known to be involved in many human responses to stress or disease. The present talk outlines the role of miRNAs in natural animal models of environmental stress as well as discusses putative medical applications of advances in miRNA biology including brain disease, inflammation, ageing, metabolic disorders (e.g., obesity), as well as specialized miRNA subgroups respective to low temperature (CryomiRs) and low oxygen (OxymiRs). 

Biography:

Ken Storey, PhD, FRSC, is a Professor of Biochemistry at Carleton University in Ottawa and holds the Canada Research Chair in Molecular Physiology. He graduated from University of Calgary (BSc 1971) and University of British Columbia (PhD 1974). Ken’s field of interest is biochemical adaptation; in particular, mammalian hibernation and freeze tolerance are core topics in his over 1000 refereed publications. Ken won the 2010 Flavelle medal from the Royal Society  of Canada , “CryoFellow” of the CryoBiology Society in 2012  and the 2011 Fry medal from the Canadian Society of Zoologists.