معرفی
Eric Lai is a Professor at the Sloan Kettering Institute, part of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and affiliated with the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences. He leads the Lai Lab in the Developmental Biology Program, where his research focuses on post-transcriptional regulation, RNA biology, and gene expression mechanisms.
His research interests include:
- Biogenesis and function of small regulatory RNAs (miRNAs, siRNAs, piRNAs)
- Alternative splicing and 3'UTR regulation
- RNA modifications (e.g., m6A)
- Transcriptome diversity in neurons and germline
- Notch signaling and transcription factor biology
- Structural and single-molecule studies of RNA regulation
Dr. Lai employs integrative approaches combining genetics, biochemistry, genomics, and structural biology in Drosophila, mammalian, and non-model systems. His work has revealed fundamental mechanisms of miRNA targeting, non-canonical small RNA pathways, and the role of RNA regulation in development, behavior, and intragenomic conflict. Future directions include therapeutic applications of RNA silencing, CRISPR screening, and stem cell differentiation models.
His scientific awards include:
- Louise and Allston Boyer Young Investigator Award (2009)
- Blavatnik Award Finalist (2008)
- Burroughs Wellcome Career Award (2005)
- Damon Runyon Fellowship (2000-2003)
- Kimmel and V Foundation Scholarships
Dr. Lai mentors students and collaborates widely across disciplines. His lab is supported by major research grants and contributes to programs in Physiology, Biophysics & Systems Biology, Neuroscience, and Computational Biology. He is actively advancing RNA-based mechanisms with implications for development, disease, and cancer.
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