Abstract

It has become apparent over the last decade that small and long noncoding RNAs play a major role in the regulation of gene expression and disease. While much emphasis has been centered on the role of noncoding RNAs in human disease, a gap remains in utilizing this knowledge to develop target specific approaches to disrupting noncoding RNA pathways for therapeutic gain. This meeting will for the first time bring together an interdisciplinary group of basic and applied noncoding RNA scientists in an effort to translate our current understanding of noncoding RNA biology into meaningful therapeutics for many of those diseases afflicting society. To accomplish this goal, the meeting will aim to: (1) Introduce the broad genome-wide basic fabric of noncoding RNA regulation and form and function in the cell; (2) Focus on direct RNA/chromatin/DNA or RNA/protein interactions with candidate disease-relevant model systems; and (3) Highlight synthetic biological approaches to developing RNA or oligonucleotide mimics to target and/or disrupt particular disease-relevant noncoding RNA pathways. The goal of this meeting is to bring together basic and applied scientists working on noncoding RNAs in an effort to not only better understand the role noncoding RNAs play in the regulation of disease-relevant genes but also the emerging ability to utilize this knowledge to develop targeted therapeutics, an eventuality that heralds a new frontier in drug development and therapeutics.