Craig Martin and Team Studying Marine Life to Develop Therapeutic Treatments

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In recent years, scientists have made significant strides in manipulating DNA to address genetic disorders. However, increasing attention is being placed on RNA, a crucial molecule that was instrumental in the development of COVID-19 vaccines. 

Now, researchers across Massachusetts—including Craig Martin, a professor in the College of Natural Sciences's Department of Chemistry and Sarah Perry of the UMass College of Engineering—are exploring RNA in marine animals, such as squid and octopuses, with the goal of unlocking discoveries that could revolutionize therapeutic treatments for humans. 

Why marine life? Researchers hope to mimic how animals such as squid and octopuses "use RNA editing in nerve channels that interpret pain and use that knowledge to manipulate human cells."

NEPM recently spoke with Martin about this work:

Craig Martin is a chemistry professor at UMass Amherst who, along with colleague Sarah Perry, works on developing RNA strands for research. Martin said DNA editing, using a method called CRISPR, can also be effective, but “with permanent fixes you have to be sure you get it exactly right.” That’s because the DNA can’t be changed back. “If we develop an RNA therapeutic and then later on somebody comes along with something better, we can just replace that therapeutic with the better thing that comes along.”

— NEPM

Click here to read the full article on NEPM.