Aaron Hoskins

Aaron Hoskins is a full-time Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he leads an active research program focused on pre-mRNA splicing, spliceosome assembly, and single-molecule biophysics. He is affiliated with the Department of Biochemistry and the Hoskins Group laboratory, located in the Biochemical Sciences Building.

Education:

• B.S., 2000 – Purdue University
• Ph.D., 2006 – Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Postdoctoral Fellow, 2006–2011 – Brandeis University and UMass Medical School

His research centers on understanding the molecular mechanisms of pre-mRNA splicing and spliceosome assembly in eukaryotes. Using single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, his lab investigates how the spliceosome recognizes RNA targets, how ribonucleoproteins are assembled, and how splicing fidelity is maintained or disrupted in disease. His work integrates genetics, chemical biology, and biophysical approaches to dissect spliceosome dynamics and to develop new tools for studying RNA processing.

Aaron Hoskins has published over 80 peer-reviewed articles since 2004, with recent work appearing in RNA, eLife, Structure, and Cell Chemical Biology. His research trends include the structural dynamics of spliceosomal snRNPs, cancer-associated mutations in splicing factors, and the development of splicing inhibitors as potential therapeutics. His lab also explores translational applications, including the use of humanized yeast strains for drug screening.

He is supported by multiple NIH grants (R01 GM053007, R01 GM112735, R01 GM081648) and has collaborated extensively with UW-Madison colleagues David Brow and Samuel Butcher. His lab is equipped with custom-built fluorescence microscopes for single-molecule imaging and is actively training the next generation of scientists in RNA biology and biophysics.