The Fukunaga lab is broadly interested in RNA biology. More specifically, the Fukunaga lab investigates the mechanism and biology of post-transcriptional gene regulation controlled by small silencing RNAs and RNA-binding proteins. Our research projects will answer fundamental biological questions and also potentially lead to therapeutic applications to human disease.

For the small silencing RNA projects, we are particularly interested in the mechanisms by which the small silencing RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are produced by Dicer enzyme and by which the Dicer enzyme is regulated by Dicer-partner RNA-binding proteins in this small RNA biogenesis functions. Specifically, we aim to understand the molecular mechanism by which the length of small silencing RNAs produced by Dicer is defined and regulated, which is a biologically significant question.

For the RNA-binding proteins projects, we are interested in novel post-transcriptional gene regulation mechanism performed by uncharacterized or poorly characterized RNA-binding proteins. We use Drosophila oogenesis as one of the model systems since post-transcriptional gene regulation is particularly important during oogenesis.

We use a combination of biochemistry, biophysics, Drosophila genetics, cell culture, and next-generation sequencing, in order to understand RNA biology from the atomic to the organismal level.