What role does microRNA play in our cells and why is this vital?

In Focus by The Hindu

For the fifth time in its history, the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine has been given for research into RNA. This year’s Nobel Prize winners, Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun were awarded the prize for discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation. What is microRNA? Why was its discovery important? What are the implications of this for research into human health and diseases? What is the current RNA research ongoing in India? And is RNA now taking centrestage for its importance in maintaining the balance in our cells, critical to good health and life?

Guest: Reety Arora, a molecular biologist, with experience in stem cell biology, cancer research and CRISPR and currently principal scientist and head, R&D, CRISPRBITS, a company based in Bangalore.

Host: Zubeda Hamid

Edited by Jude Francis Weston