Research Bio
Donald Rio investigates RNA biology, transposable elements and gene regulation, with a focus on mechanisms of splicing, transposons, and RNA processing in development. He is best known for discovering key proteins involved in pre-mRNA splicing and for his structural and biochemical studies of transposon mechanisms and regulation. His research has advanced understanding of how mobile genetic elements are controlled and how RNA–protein complexes function in controlling gene expression.
Rio is Professor of Molecular & Cell Biology at UC Berkeley, affiliated with the Division of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology. He is an elected member of the US National Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. His expertise spans RNA biology, transposons, and gene regulation.
Research Expertise and Interest
molecular genetics, drosophila melanogaster, transposable elements, RNA splicing, neurodegenerative diseases, nucleic acid rearrangement reactions, P elements and their cellular host
In the News
Six UC Berkeley Faculty Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
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Three UC Berkeley researchers receive NIH 'innovator' awards
Three UC Berkeley faculty members - Diana Bautista, Amy Herr and Donald Rio - have been singled out as innovators by the National Institutes of Health and will receive special grants designed to fund "transformative research" that could lead to major advances in medical science.