INRS at the Forefront of the RNA Revolution

Two professors are conducting pioneering and innovative research in this field, with extremely promising potential treatment outcomes.

This branch of biotechnology involving RNA has not yet revealed all its secrets. On the photo : INRS Professor, Angela Pearson

The functions of RNA (ribonucleic acid) and its associated therapeutic mechanisms have intrigued scientists for many years. The general public became more aware of its curative potential through the use of messenger RNA vaccines developed to fight the COVID-19 virus.

However, this branch of biotechnology involving RNA has not yet revealed all its secrets. Some of them might be uncovered by Professor Angela Pearson of Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS).

Her interest in this field grew in 2021, when biochemist Carolyn Bertozzi’s team at Stanford University discovered glycoRNAs in animal cells. Until then, these small RNAs connected to sugars had escaped the scientific community’s notice. “We knew that proteins were often modified with complex sugars, but RNAs? That was unexpected,” says Angela Pearson.

Another surprise was that many of these small non-coding RNAs were associated with cell membranes.

But how can these mechanisms act on the immune system?

“This is nothing less than the discovery of a new biomolecule. It opens the door to discovering cellular mechanisms that until now have been hiding in plain sight.”
Angela Pearson, professor at INRS.

Exceptional funding

Professor Pearson is a virologist, so it didn’t take much to pique her curiosity. In her quest, she collaborates with her colleague, chemist Janelle Sauvageau, an associate professor at INRS affiliated with the National Research Council of Canada.

“In her laboratory, Janelle has the ability to produce synthetic glycoRNAs. In mine, we will characterize their impact on immune response, or how the presence of sugars on RNAs affects the immune system’s reaction to these RNAs. We are also interested in their potential role in viral particles. Ultimately, we hope to determine how glycoRNAs can act as therapeutic agents.”
Angela Pearson, professor at INRS.

To fund their research, the scientists were awarded $250,000 over two years from the New Frontiers in Research Fund’s Exploration stream. This grant is exclusively for multidisciplinary and transformative world-class projects that go beyond conventional methods. These projects are considered high risk and high reward. “Often, in our research, we have clues about the expected results based on what has been done previously,” explains Angela Pearson. “Here, we are in uncharted territory. We don’t know what we will find, and the possibilities are vast, hence the term ‘high risk.’”

Because what little is known about glycoRNAs suggests they may play a role in cellular communication and because there is much to discover about them, the work of Professor Pearson and Professor Sauvageau is considered “high potential.” “It’s an exciting step,” says Angela Pearson. “Ultimately, glycoRNAs and their functions could be exploited to treat various medical conditions, such as autoimmune disorders.”

“This is an exciting time in Canada to study RNA. Since the pandemic and RNA vaccines, there is growing interest in research on these molecules. The creation of the organizations RNA Canada ARN and RNA Québec is a sign of the excitement in this field. Our studies on glycoRNAs have benefited from this enthusiasm through more funding opportunities, such as the New Frontiers in Research Fund.”
Janelle Sauvageau, adjunct professor at INRS, and affiliated with the National Research Council of Canada.

At this stage, however, it is too soon to name specific diseases. Nevertheless, the research of Professor Pearson and Professor Sauvageau will serve as a foundation for many others to come. Moreover, their work is an excellent vehicle for training a new generation in the highly sought-after biotechnological sector of RNA research and innovation.

INRS at the Forefront of the RNA Revolution

Exceptional funding

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