Leonard Schaerfen, PhD

• RNA structure dynamics and folding landscapes
  
  Investigating how RNA molecules adopt multiple conformations, how folding pathways influence RNA structure, and how RNA structure shapes the function of natural and synthetic RNAs in cellular contexts.
  
  
• Systems-level mapping of RNA structure to function
  Measuring RNA structure and function across thousands of sequences using high-throughput sequencing, massively parallel reporter assays, and machine learning to extract insights from large datasets.
  
  
• Mechanistic roles of RNA folding in gene expression
  Determining how RNA structure influences each step of gene expression (i.e. transcription, processing, localization, translation) by systematically measuring features of RNA structure variants directly inside cells.