So what, exactly, are we doing in Australia? The answer is a little more complex than a
deep desire to understand cricket or a scheme to get rich by sneaking gallons
of eucalyptus oil back into the US.
My sabbatical work is focused on a biological process known
as RNA interference. This phenomenon is now known to occur in microorganisms,
plants, animals, and humans, but was only discovered in the late 1990’s through
studies with worms. The principle scientists behind this discovery were awarded
a Nobel
Prize in 2006, and the interest in using RNA interference to combat
human disease continues to grow today.
So what is it? RNA interference is a mechanism that allows
for gene “silencing”. Normally, messenger RNA is used to translate genetic
information encoded in DNA to proteins that actually do the work of the cell. Gene silencing occurs when complementary RNA binds to messenger RNA and causes
it to be degraded, preventing the protein from being produced.
If you are
interested and have 4 minutes, this video from
NOVA does an excellent job of explaining the biological context and the
mechanics of RNAi.
My interest in RNAi stems from working to solve the tricky
problem of metabolic disorders in early lactation dairy cows. Despite tons of
research on this problem, we still have an estimated 40-50% of dairy cows
dealing with at least mild forms of these disorders, which include fatty liver
and ketosis. In recent years, many groups (including ours) have published
studies documenting changes in gene expression in the liver that correspond
with metabolic problems. However, without having the tools to directly alter
these processes, there is no way to determine whether these changes are
actually contributing to the problem or if they are part of a rescue/survival
strategy. Without more direct evidence
about the signals driving the disease process in these animals, our attempts to
find a solution are based mostly on guesswork.
In the long-term, my goal is to develop a product that would
use RNA interference to alter liver function in dairy cows at the start of
lactation to prevent metabolic disorders. Before that can even be attempted,
though, a lot of background work is needed. For the coming 5+ months I will be
working with an outstanding team of scientists in CSIRO, Australia’s government
research agency. This team is based at the high-security Australian Animal
Health Laboratory in Geelong, in part because they are working on the use of
RNA interference to combat some very serious viruses such as Ebola.
My work during this sabbatical will be focused on evaluating different
nanoparticles that can help carry small RNA molecules into target cells in the
body, a critical and tricky aspect of using RNAi in animals (as opposed to
cultured cells). Much to Sarah’s relief, I will not be working with any
interesting pathogens. :)
CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory
Day-to-day, right now I am brushing up on some lab skills
that have not been used much for the last 5 years, while also picking up lots
of minutia that is critical to successfully using new techniques, but is
difficult to learn by reading papers.
Hopefully this will lead to good things down the road!
I do need to acknowledge K-State for letting me have this
sabbatical and the Fulbright program
for helping us to pay the bills so we can be here. This is an amazing opportunity and we are
very thankful for it.
Barry
