ABSTRACT
Support is requested for a Keystone Symposia conference entitled Non-Coding RNA Biology: New Roles and
Diversity, organized by Drs. Sebastian Kadener, Irene Bozzoni and Luisa Cochella. The conference will be held
in Keystone, Colorado from January 27–31, 2025.
Recent investigation into non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have revealed a wide range of key functions in both cellular
and organismal processes. These molecules come in varied sizes and shapes, ranging from small to large, linear
to circular, containing standard nucleotides to heavily modified structures. Some ncRNAs are known to regulate
gene expression at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels by facilitating or disrupting interactions
between RNA-RNA, protein-RNA or DNA-RNA complexes. However, while the field has focused on identification
of ncRNAs and molecular mechanisms, their diverse in vivo functions are only beginning to emerge.
Therefore, this conference program was designed to reveal these essential functions of ncRNAs to fill this
knowledge gap. The sessions are organized to promote crosstalk and synergy between researchers working
on distinct types of RNAs, to elucidate common mechanisms of action or impacts on common cellular
processes and outcomes. The goal is to unite different sub-fields of ncRNA research, by bringing together
scientists studying different systems, approaches and types of ncRNAs, as well as mRNAs with non-coding
functions, to collectively address key roles in cellular and organismal biology. This conference will be held
jointly with the Keystone Symposium on RNA Mediated Regulation of Immunity: Mechanism, Disease and
Therapeutics to enable cross-disciplinary insights and collaborations towards mechanisms and impacts of
ncRNA on immune system function.