Sarah Woodson

Sarah Woodson is the T.C. Jenkins Professor of Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University, where she leads an active research group in the Department of Biophysics. She holds a PhD from Yale University and completed postdoctoral training with Thomas Cech at the University of Colorado Boulder.

• PhD in Biophysical Chemistry, Yale University (1987)
• Postdoctoral Research, University of Colorado Boulder (1987–1990)

Her research focuses on the folding and dynamics of RNA and RNA-protein complexes, particularly in the context of ribosome assembly and small regulatory RNAs. Using techniques such as time-resolved hydroxyl radical footprinting, single-molecule FRET, and stopped-flow fluorescence, her lab investigates how RNA molecules achieve their functional three-dimensional structures. Her work bridges biophysics, molecular biology, and microbiology, with implications for understanding gene regulation and RNA-related diseases.

The recent publications highlight a strong trend in co-transcriptional RNA folding, ribosome biogenesis, and the mechanistic role of the Hfq chaperone in bacterial sRNA function. There is a clear emphasis on dynamic RNA structures, protein-RNA co-assembly, and the impact of cellular conditions on RNA folding pathways.

Dr. Woodson has received several prestigious honors:

• Pew Scholar Award in the Biomedical Sciences (1993)
• Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (1995)
• Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS, 2010)
• President of the RNA Society (2016–2017)

She has advised numerous PhD and postdoctoral researchers, many of whom have gone on to prominent positions in academia and industry. Her lab has also developed key experimental protocols in RNA footprinting and folding analysis. She leads the Woodson Lab, which maintains active research in RNA folding, ribosome assembly, and small regulatory RNAs, supported by continuous funding and collaborative networks.