Turning the Logic of mRNA Translation into a New Therapeutic Principle: ERC Proof of Concept Grant for TRANSLATE

CPI Associate Member Prof. Leo Kurian and his laboratory at the Institute for Vascular Physiology at Goethe University Frankfurt have been awarded an ERC Proof of Concept Grant for TRANSLATE.

Building on discoveries from the ERC Consolidator Grant TRANSCEND, TRANSLATE combines systems RNA biology, quantitative modeling, and machine learning to explore how the selective control of mRNA translation can be harnessed for therapeutic intervention. The project seeks to develop RNA engineering strategies for the targeted control of mRNA translation as a new therapeutic modality, asking whether the regulatory logic that determines which mRNAs are translated, when, and how much, can be redirected to restore biological function.

The project reflects the collective effort of the entire Kurian Lab. Acknowledgment and thanks go to everyone in the team who contributed to the science from which TRANSLATE emerged, with particular thanks to Jakub Zeman and Zhanhua Xing for their key contributions to this next step.