James Patton

James Patton, Ph.D., is a Stevenson Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Vanderbilt University. He serves as Director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program and the Honors Program within the same department. His research focuses on the regulatory roles of noncoding RNAs, particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), in vertebrate development and disease.

Dr. Patton's work explores miRNA function in

• post-transcriptional gene regulation through imperfect mRNA binding
• caudal fin and retina regeneration in zebrafish
• extracellular RNA communication via vesicles in cancer models

Current projects investigate miRNA dynamics in

• mutant KRAS colorectal cancer cell interactions
• developmental processes like jaw and fin formation in embryos

using advanced imaging and genomic analysis tools.