After 13 years, the RNA DK now celebrates with a final closing conference. Looking back, what was the biggest highlight for you?
This is easy to answer, because we had Emmanuelle Charpentier in our faculty at the beginning. Her Nobel Prize for the co-discovery of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in 2020 was the absolute highlight. One of her PhD students, Krzysztof Chylinski, who was responsible for many results which then led to the famous publications about CRISPR/Cas9, was part of our program. Over the years, many of our faculty members were promoted and many students started their careers in our school. Overall, I am very happy that we had so many talented students and group leaders who contributed to the exciting research being done in this DK. Our scientists have elucidated the mechanism by which piRNAs silence transposons and discovered how RNAs influence the pathogenicity of bacteria, just to name one or two scientific highlights.
Why is it important to train PhD students in such a thematic framework with groups that are really interested in one topic?
When you look back at the development of PhD programs, especially in Austria, in earlier times PhD students were working closely with their PI but never had contact with any other faculty members or colleagues. If students ran into problems, or they wanted to discuss something, they only had their PI to talk to. We started this DK with the goal to improve the interactions between faculty and students. Having the opportunity to exchange ideas is a major advantage in science. Our researchers work on related questions and sometimes you run into similar problems. Our retreats and our seminars proved invaluable for the exchange of ideas between members of the DK. We also introduced advisory committees to monitor and support the progress of our PhD students, which was not so common before we started our program. Having such an outside view from experts in your field can help solve problems students might run into during their PhD project.
The DK focused on RNA biology. You yourself have been researching RNA as a group leader for many years. Where does the field stand now, compared to when you started?
When I started, there were only tRNAs, messenger RNAs and ribosomal RNAs, nothing else was known. When I finished my PhD, new sequencing methods were established and that really kick-started a lot of things, culminating in the discovery of small and large non-coding RNAs. This really changed how we view RNAs because we could assign enzymatic activities to these molecules. We realized that they influence gene expression and many other activities in the cell.
On a more general note, what has changed in the way science is done?
I don't think there has been a lot of change in the way science is done. I really hope so, because I think that there is only one good way you can do science.
And what is that way?
Do your experiments carefully and control the experiments carefully. Always try to disprove your results. But perhaps what you're alluding to is the methods, and they have changed completely in the past 30 years. Be it DNA sequencing methods, or later restriction enzymes, and then CRISPR Cas9 and bioinformatics. Also, the latest microscopy methods changed what we can see, which makes so much of a difference.
I guess it was hard back in the day to visualize what you were working on?
There was electron microscopy, but you had to basically kill the cell. Today you can really look deeply into living cells, which I find fascinating. When I started my scientific career, we often had to use our imagination to visualize what's going on, but now you can actually see processes in the cell in unprecedented detail. Seeing is believing. [laughs]
What would be your advice to young researchers and students?
I think in science it's important to be very attentive and focus on the details. Never forget that each detail is important. On the other hand, you have to keep the big picture in mind. If you can do both then your science will flourish. But if you don't do the detailed work, then the big picture is worth nothing. I think this balance is what you have to learn.
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About DKs
Doctoral Programmes (DKs) are projects funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, with the goal to provide PhD education in a clearly defined research framework. Funding for the DK RNA Biology was granted for four three year periods and covered the costs for about 100 PhD students and supported their education by covering travel and other expenses, workshops and consumables.
Doctoral Program in RNA Biology
Participating Institutions: Max Perutz Labs, Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA), Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology (GMI), Research Center for Molecular Medicine (CeMM).
101 doctoral researchers, 26 different nationalities
185 peer reviewed publications involving DK students, 106 with first author from the DK
118 publications with an Impact Factor higher then 5, including 12 publications in Cell, Nature or Science.
From planarians to parasites: unexpected roles for monoamine transmitters
Speaker: Phil NewmarkInstitute: University of Wisconsin-MadisonHost: Elly Tanaka
Structural guided nanobodies against covid19 and tomography in a box
Speaker: Jim NaismithInstitute: The Rosalind Franklin Institute, OxfordshireHost: David Haselbach
The Birth and Death of Macromolecular Complexes in Eukaryotic Evolution
Speaker: Berend SnelInstitute: Utrecht UniversityHost: Fred Berger
Probing chromosome mechanics in the interphase nucleus
Speaker: Antoine CoulonInstitute: Institut CurieHost: Anton Goloborodko and Daniel Gerlich
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: JONASSON Mattias (Tanaka), HOHMANN Ulrich (Brennecke/Plaschka), MANOLOVA Toni (Falk)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
The Earth BioGenome Project: Progress Toward a New Synthesis in Evolution Science
Speaker: Harris LewinInstitute: UC DavisHost: Darrin Schultz and Oleg Simakov
Is cohesin necessary for transcription? Molecular entities of transcriptional dysregulation in the absence of cohesin revealed by analysis of transcription elongation complexes
Speaker: Katsuhiko ShirahigeInstitute: Karolinska InstituteHost: Franz Klein
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: WU Shuangyang (Dolan), SCARAMUZZA Federico (Tessmar), KROGULL Daniel (Burga)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
The recently discovered ties between teeth and infants in human evolution
Speaker: Leslea HluskoInstitute: CENIEHHost: Nicole Grunstra
Characterisation of Vpr1, a novel protein involved in DSB repair
Speaker: Mustafa AlaaboInstitute: Dept. Chromosome Biology, Univ. ViennaHost: Franz Klein
Title to be announced
Speaker: Roberto CerbinoInstitute: University of ViennaHost: Arthur Sedivy
Marine symbioses fueled by wood
Speaker: Dan DistelInstitute: Ocean Genome Legacy CenterHost: Jillian Petersen
New insights in gene regulation and chromatin folding by enhancers and cohesin
Speaker: Wouter de LaatInstitute: Hubrecht InstituteHost: Christa Bücker
Molecular mechanism analysis involved in mitochondrial sheath formation and spermiation processes using gene-manipulated mice
Speaker: Keisuke ShimadaInstitute: Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka UniversityHost: Andrea Pauli
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: JELENIC Stela (Saha), ABDRAKHMANOV Alibek (Dagdas), GALUSKA Philipp (Djinovic)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Title to be announced
Speaker: Christoph KreutzInstitute: University of InnsbruckHost: Georg Kontaxis
Microbial trait-based scaling from single populations to communities with consequences for ecosystem processes
Speaker: Ashish MalikInstitute: University of AberdeenHost: Andreas Richter
How chromosome architecture shapes brain architecture
Speaker: Daniele CanzioInstitute: UCSFHost: Anton Goloborodko
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: MAYER Rupert (Proteomics Tech Hub), WILLIAMS Thomas (Clausen), GEISMANN Maximilian (Balzarotti)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Comprehensive and quantitative characterization of aneuploidy phenotypes
Speaker: Manuela Sophie KollerInstitute: Dept. Chromosome Biology, Univ. ViennaHost: Chris Campbell
Cellular crosstalk in Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Speaker: Silvia CappelloInstitute: MPI of Psychiatry MunichHost: Jürgen Knoblich
Top down and bottom up exploration of human gut microbial communities
Speaker: Karoline FaustInstitute: KU LeuvenHost: Lucia Fuchslueger
Title to be announced
Speaker: Chris OostenbrinkInstitute: BOKU WienHost: Kristina Djinovic-Carugo
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: PACHECO FIALLOS Franics Belen (Plaschka), FONTES OLIVEIRA Tiago Manuel (Penninger)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
The Mirage of Biosocial Complexity: Critique and Collaboration Around the Tools of Epigenetics
Speaker: Luca ChiapperinoInstitute: Institute of Social Sciences (ISS), University of LausanneHost: Vienna Open Lab
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: KHALDIEH Nina (Ameres), LORENZO ORTS Laura (Pauli), ROSS James (Burga)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Title to be announced
Speaker: Samer HattarInstitute: NIHHost: Kristin Tessmar
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: RAFFL Gerald (Ameres), SAJTOS Bettina (Zuber), LANGER Christoph (Gerlich)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Title to be announced
Speaker: Anshul KundajeInstitute: Stanford UniversityHost: Alex Stark
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: STEINACKER Thomas (Gerlich), EDER Stephanie (Zimmer), TIKANOVA Polina (Burga)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: SCHELLHAAS Ulla (Plaschka/Ameres), RUSCH Emma (Goloborodko), VULIN Milica (Obenauf)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: RADHAKRISHNA PILLAI Balashankar (Saha), MIGOTTI Mario (Konrat), RÖHNSER Josef (Pauli)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: BELL Caelan (Gerlich), MEREITER Stefan (Penninger), BINDL Michael (Leeb)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: LORBEER Franziska (Stark), MULVEY Hugh (Dolan), PÜHRINGER Florian (Burga)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: HOLZER Elisabeth (Martens), COLOZZA Gabriele (Koo), FALCON CHAVEZ Francisco (Tanaka)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: BLAHA Andreas (Pauli), OKUN Anastasia (Karagöz), JUNG Pauline (Obenauf)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Title to be announced
Speaker: Sir Philip CohenInstitute: University of DundeeHost: Egon Ogris
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: LICHT-MAYER Simon (Penninger), CAYGILL Samuel (Dolan), ADELMANN Leonie (Raible)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Title to be announced
Speaker: Feng ShaoInstitute: National Institute of Biological Sciences, BeijingHost: Pavel Kovarik
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: SHUNMUGAM Dhanlakshmi (Baccarini), CECI GINISTRELLI Lavinia (Mendjan), VORLÄNDER Matthias (Plaschka)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Title to be announced
Speaker: Jan LöweInstitute: MRC Laboratory of Molecular BiologyHost: Jan-Michael Peters
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: KOK Jian Yi (Berger), GROH Roan (Dagdas), SODERHOLM Adrian (Versteeg)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Title to be announced
Speaker: Stephan GruberInstitute: University of LausanneHost: Franz Klein
Title to be announced
Speaker: Lydia FinleyInstitute: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterHost: Johannes Zuber
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: STRAVS Ana (Knoblich), SANCHEZ DE MEDINA HERNANDEZ Victor (Dagdas), HORENKAMP Simone (Tanaka)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: PROTELL I DE MONTSERRAT Julia (Brennecke/Plaschka), NAGUMO WONG Sakurako (Knoblich), CORIC Aida (Tessmar)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Title to be announced
Speaker: Nancy KlecknerInstitute: Harvard UniversityHost: Franz Klein
Title to be announced
Speaker: Vera Gorbunova and Andrei SeluanovInstitute: University of RochesterHost: EDI group at GMI/IMBA/IMP
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: GRABARCZYK Daniel (Clausen), TAVERINI Katherina (Urban), MANCHENO JUNCOSA Estela (Mendjan)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Title to be announced
Speaker: Edward LemkeInstitute: IMB MainzHost: David Haselbach
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: ATTRILL Sarah (Dolan), UIJTTEWAAL Esther (Elling), SCIBISZ Grzegorz (Karagöz)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: DOLESCHALL Balint (Knoblich), FENG Sonjie (Bücker), BOURGUET Pierre (Berger)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Title to be announced
Speaker: Rotem SorekInstitute: Weizmann Institute of Science, RehovotHost: Julius Brennecke
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: KRUMWIEDE Luisa (Gaidt), KAPRAL Thomas (Zagrovic)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: KOBAKHIDZE George (Dong), ANGELOPOULOU Eleni (Ellis), PACHANO Tomas (Stark)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Title to be announced
Speaker: Stephan GrillInstitute: MPI of Molecular Cell Biology and GeneticsHost: Clemens Plaschka
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: RAMIREZ America (Köhler), VÖLKL Isabella (Bücker), HOANG Oi Pui (Technau)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Title to be announced
Speaker: Mounia LaghaInstitute: Institut de Genetique Moleculaire de MontpellierHost: Andrea Pauli
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: LEITNER Moritz (Martinez), VOGEL Alexander (Yudushkin), KETTEL Paulina (Karagöz)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Title to be announced
Speaker: Martin HetzerInstitute: IST AustriaHost: Jürgen Knoblich
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: TSAREV Aleksandr (Ameres), FIESELER Charlie (Zimmer), ABESAMIS Kim Ivan (Dong)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Title to be announced
Speaker: Laurent NguyenInstitute: University of LiegeHost: Noelia Urban
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: HEIDARI KHOEI Heidar (Rivron), KLEIFELD Justus (Urban), ORLIC Lucija (Matos)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Title to be announced
Speaker: Ian HicksonInstitute: University of CopenhagenHost: Joao Matos
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: SHULKINA Alexandra (Versteeg), GEETHA Sowmya (Jantsch), MADHUSUDHANAN Jalaja (Zimmer)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: KOLLER Manuela (Campbell), GUPTA Ankit (Goloborodko), SCHMÖLLERL Johannes (Zuber)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: MARCHIORI Elisa (Van der Veeken), ACHLEITNER Anja (Martens), FAAS Victoria (Clausen)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: SALEWSKIJ Kirill (Penninger), KIRCHGATTERER Paul (Gaidt), REN Kaike (Otsuka)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: MIHAILOVIC Milica (Karagöz), BELL Lillie (Clausen), TELONI Federico (Gerlich)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: STANKUNAS Edvinas (Köhler), LEV Itamar (Zimmer)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: OBERHUEMER Michael (Leeb), GONAZLEZ ALVARADO Maria (Grade), SCHOLZ Julia (Otsuka)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: AMANN Sascha (Haselbach), KASHKO Nataliia (Matos), BAUER Bernd (Martens)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: LEE Joonsun (Elling), LEYVA GONZALEZ Marco (Tanaka), MILIVOJEV Nadja (Raible)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: GAO Peng (Dagdas), GOGOVA Rebeca (Clausen), PAVLOVA Anzhela (Matos)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: AYALA MUNOZ Farja (Plaschka), VETRANO Pamela (Ramundo), YU Changwei (Brennecke)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: KONSTANTINOU Andri (Obenauf), NAVA GARCIA Marintia (Dagdas), WOLFF Uyen Le Phuong (Jantsch V.)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: HARTMANN Felix (Matos), PASSERA Alessandro (Balzarotti), SANCHEZ BURGOS Laura (Obenauf)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: SILVA Raquel (Foisner), HODAKOVA Zuzana (Haselbach), MYLARSHCHIKOV Dmitry (Gerlich)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Title to be announced
Speaker: Johannes WalterInstitute: Harvard Medical SchoolHost: Jan-Michael Peters
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: PIECH Lucas (Leonard), DE LA CONCEPCION Juan Carlos (Dagdas), POPOVA Mariia (Peters)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: GALLI Lucrezia (Tanaka), DIAS Ana Beatriz (Slade), TAKACS Zsuzsanna (Gerlich)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: KNIEST Judith (Haselbach), KELLNER Max (Penninger), BABADEI Olga (Decker)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: BOHAUMILITZKY Lena (Pinheiro), RAIDERS Stephan (Tanaka), PRLESI Ines (Gerlich)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: ZHAN Ni (Dagdas), PITASI Mattia (Leeb), HEINZL Monika (Stark)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: VELETI Lalitha (Pauli), ENGL Magdalena (Slade), NAAS Julia (Van Haeseler)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: FARAWAY Rupert (Plaschka), GRUNDMANN Lorenz (Haselbach), KLEINWAECHTER Ava (Slade)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: RÖTZER Johannes (Dolan), MIOCIC-STOSIC Fran (Zagrovic), RITSCHKA Birgit (Tanaka)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: PUSHPA BOSE Greeshma (Urban), RAINA Shiviya (Dammermann)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: COUTURIER Jeanne (Jachowicz), PABST Gabriel (Zuber), ROFFAY Chloe (Pinheiro)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: RUSSETT Colleen (Berger), NAJM Ramsey (Knoblich), HOLLAUS David (Gaidt)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: SHARMA Sanskriti (Ellis), JANKOWSKA Julia (Ameres), PAPAREDDY Ranjith (Dagdas)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: MAURER Eric (Peters), BHARDWAJ Vishakha (Schlögelhofer), DIEZMA Laura (Nordborg/Mari-Ordonez)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: GUZMAN PEREZ Sebastian (Martinez), LITTLEBOY Jamie (Knoblich), RIABOV Daria (Plaschka)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: ZEILER Christina (Kovarik), DOCAVO GARCIA Antonio (Jachowicz), Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: ZMAJKOVIC Jakub (Zuber), DEL CHIARO Alessia (Dagdas), ANTONIOLI Sumire (Leonard)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: HUETTER Christiane (Menche), KRACHT Laura (Knoblich), SANDRU Ana Maria (Baccarini)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: BENEDUM Johannes (Slade), KALIS Robert (Zuber), PATEL Rajvi (Matos)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs
Monday Seminar (Internal)
Speaker: PROTSENKO Liudmila (Brennecke), SHETTY Kavya (Hein), BASSAT Elad (Tanaka)Institute: Open only to IMP/IMBA/GMI/Max Perutz Labs