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miRNAs: Approaches, Applications, Analysis
A microCourse*
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* Arranged by
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Wednesday, June 28
In this session, we will focus on the major advancements and discoveries in the field of microRNAs. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, siRNA-like molecules encoded in the genomes of plants and animals that regulate the expression of genes by binding and modulating the translation of specific
mRNAs. miRNAs have been implicated in a variety of key biological process including development, differentiation and disease progression form a diverse range of phylogenetic lineages. ~1000 unique miRNAs are predicted to be expressed in humans to affect the expression of more than 50% of proteins. We will highlight the recent scientific findings in this field as well as provide detailed technical instruction on the available tools and technologies used to study these small molecules. In particular, we will discuss in detail methods for miRNA prediction, isolation, enrichment, global miRNA expression profiling, specific miRNA detection, and functional studies in which miRNA mimics and inhibitors are used to exogenously increase and decrease these natural regulatory
RNAs.
8:30am Morning Coffee
9:00 Comments by Session Chairperson
9:15 Introduction
Dr. Christina Buchanan, Technical Applications Specialist, Ambion
Overview
History
Pathway
Major Findings
9:35 Tools
Dr. Bob Setterquist, PhD, Senior Scientist, Ambion
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Isolation
Northern
blot
Enrichment |
Arrays
qRT-PCR
Mimics/inhibitors |
Vectors
Databases
Target Prediction
and
Validation |
10:25 Coffee Break
| 10:45 Case Study 1
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| Dr. Christina Buchanan |
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| 11:15 Case Study 2
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Real-time PCR analysis of precursor and mature microRNAs in pancreatic adenocarcinoma
Dr. Thomas Schmittgen, Associate Professor, Pharmaceutics, Ohio State University |
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11:50 Luncheon Technology Workshop
Regulating Differentiation and Signaling by microRNAs
Dr. Chang-Zheng Chen, Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University
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Sponsored
by
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1:10pm Comments by Session Chairperson
1:25 microRNA-Mediated Regulatory Networks in Neural Stem Cells
Dr. Ronald P. Hart, Associate Director and Member, W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience; Professor, Rutgers University
Differentiation of neural stem cell precursors requires regulated expression of specific transcription factors. Many of these are proposed to be targets for microRNA regulation of mRNA translation or stability. We have combined microRNA profiling with mRNA profiles during differentiation to identify correlated microRNAs and mRNAs. Interactions between microRNAs and transcription factors constitute novel regulatory networks in stem cell differentiation.
1:55 Identification of Let-7 Binding Complexes in C. elegans
Dr. Shih-Peng Chan, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University
The let-7 miRNA controls the timing of terminal differentiation decisions in C. elegans and acts as a post-transcriptional repressor of lin-41, let-60/RAS, hbl-1/lin-57 and other genes containing 3 UTR sequences with imperfect complementary to let-7. In humans, let-7 regulates the RAS oncogene and defective expression of let-7 is associated with lung cancer. We are identifying let-7 binding complexes and their component proteins in C.
elegans. Our results may provide understanding as to the mechanism of gene regulation by let-7 and its roles in human cancer. (Co-Author: Dr. Frank Slack)
2:25 macroPanel with all microRNA speakers
3:00 Close of miRNA microCourse
*miRNAs: A microCourse is included in the Full Event Access pricing.
See registration page to register for the miRNAs: A microCourse only.
