Ian MacRae

Professor Ian MacRae is a faculty member in the Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology at Scripps Research. His research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of RNA interference (RNAi), particularly the structural and functional aspects of RNA-induced silencing complexes (RISC) and their role in gene silencing. He combines structural biology, biochemistry, and cell biology approaches to study how RISC and the RISC-loading complex (RLC) mediate RNAi processes.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis (2002)
• B.S. in Biochemistry, University of California, Davis (1996)

Research Interests:

• Mechanisms of RNAi and RLC function
• Structural biology of Argonaute proteins
• Development of RNAi-based therapeutics
• Role of RNA silencing in human diseases (e.g., cancer, viral defense)

Selected Awards:

• 2012 Blasker Science & Technology Award
• 2008 Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences
• 2009 Baxter Foundation Young Faculty Award
• 2002 Life Sciences Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship

Lab Work: The MacRae Lab investigates Argonaute proteins and small RNAs, focusing on their structural basis for RNA silencing and therapeutic applications. Key areas include RNA-protein condensates, rational RNA therapeutics, and understanding how these molecules regulate gene expression in health and disease.