The Penn Institute for RNA Innovation is a new institute dedicated to the understanding and development of all aspects of RNA from basic to translational science.
With the rebirth of RNA therapeutics due to the COVID-19 vaccines, the institute will serve as a center for RNA researchers and any researcher interested in learning about and using RNA to meet, interact, and develop new research programs, therapeutics, and funding.
The institute is led by Drew Weismann, M.D., Ph.D., who is known for co-inventing the mRNA technology that enabled the rapid development of highly effective COVID-19 vaccines with his colleague Katalin Karikó at Penn.
This goal is for the institute to be a catalyst for bringing together research in all fields of biology, chemistry, immunology, modeling, vaccines, oncology, genetic diseases, and bioengineering related to RNA and RNA-based therapeutics.
The Penn Institute for RNA Innovation also envisions close collaboration with departments, Schools, CHOP, Wistar, and other institutes and centers at Penn, including those for cancer, immunology, AIDS, and genetics, to promote wide scale use and development of basic and applied RNA-related science.
Announcements of details will be forthcoming. You learn more about the institute here and join here.