Research Expertise and Interest
Ribosome Profiling, translation, genomics
Research Description
Nicholas Ingolia is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular & Cell Biology.
Prof. Ingolia studies how cells dynamically control the translation, localization, and degradation of mRNAs, along with the cellular roles for this post-transcriptional control of gene expression. To do this, he develops innovative high-throughput experimental approaches that address key challenges in RNA biology. Early in his career, he developed ribosome profiling, a technique for comprehensive and high-resolution measurements of translation. More recently, he has focused on the regulatory RNA-binding proteins that drive post-transcriptional gene regulation. He developed APEX-seq, which reveals the composition and organization of RNA-protein complexes within living cells. To learn the functional consequences of these interactions, he has performed proteome-scale surveys that measure the regulatory effects of RNA-binding proteins and delineate the protein motifs responsible for their activity. His work has been recognized by awards including the RNA Society Mid-Career Award (2023). He has also extended his work to dissect the wider regulatory networks that impinge on translation in the cell. His CiBER-Seq approach offers a broadly applicable tool to analyze these networks through CRISPR-based screening and high-throughput sequencing.