Manuel Ascano

Manuel Ascano is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and the Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. His research focuses on RNA and DNA detection mechanisms in innate immunity and viral pathogenesis, with particular emphasis on RNA-binding proteins and post-transcriptional gene regulation.

Research Interests:

• Mechanisms of RNA-binding proteins in gene regulation during immune activation and viral infection
• Cytosolic DNA-sensing via the cGAS-STING pathway
• Post-transcriptional gene regulation under cellular stress
• RNA-protein interaction networks using PAR-CLIP and other high-throughput methods
• Role of RNA metabolism in host-pathogen interactions
• Development of immunotherapeutics and vaccines based on RNA regulation

The recent publications highlight a consistent focus on RNA-protein interactions, transcriptome-wide regulatory networks, and the molecular basis of innate immune sensing. His work bridges biochemistry, immunology, and virology, using integrative approaches to understand gene regulation during infection and stress.

Scientific Affiliations and Recognition:

• Member, Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt
• Member, Center for Extracellular Vesicle Research
• Member, Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation
• Member, Institute for Chemical Biology
• Dean Faculty Fellow

Dr. Ascano mentors postdoctoral researchers and leads an active research program funded by institutional and likely external grants. His lab is part of the Microbe-Host Interactions Program and collaborates across disciplines. He has contributed to key methodological advances in mapping RNA-protein interactions and is building foundational knowledge in nucleic acid sensing and immune regulation.