Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · 13d

Wonderful news!! Congratulations!!

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · Sep 3

Congratulations to the lab for placing 1st for the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts unit in the 2025 Freezer Challenge! A big thanks to Antigone and @chembiocade.bsky.social for leading the lab in sustainable practices.

1 3

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · Aug 14

Work funded by #NIH, #RCSA, and #Pew

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · Aug 14

Grace then applied this virtual screening pipeline to pre-miR-31. Here, she screened an NCI database and experimentally validated in silico hits. She then conducted a structure similarity search on the validated hits and found a more potent binder!

Integrated in silico and experimental screening identifies novel ligands that target precursor microRNA-31 at the dicer cleavage site

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression and the dysregulation in mature miRNA levels has been implicated in a wide variety of diseases. In particular, altered levels of mature microRNA-31 (miR-31)...

doi.org

1 1 2

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · Aug 14

Grace developed a virtual screening approach focused on cavities identified in the (NPSL2) RNA structure. She then validated screening "hits" experimentally.
Importantly, this approach is broadly applicable to any RNA with a known 3D structure.

Structure guided discovery of small molecule ligands targeting the oncomiR-1 NPSL2 hairpin - Scientific Reports

Scientific Reports - Structure guided discovery of small molecule ligands targeting the oncomiR-1 NPSL2 hairpin

www.nature.com

1 2 3

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · Aug 14

Two papers from Grace's thesis have been published! Our journey into the world of small molecule RNA targeting.

1 1 5

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · Jul 25

And another poster award! This one to Antigone, who presented at the Karle Symposium today!!

1 4

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · Jul 24

Congratulations are in order! Two members of the lab, Moriah (a @NSF funded D-RISE high school student) and Diane (a UM undergrad) were awarded poster prizes at the URAN|UM symposium today!

1 2

Reposted by Sarah Keane

Jon Paczkowski🌹 @paczkowskilab.bsky.social · Jul 16

I am (optimistically) looking for a postdoc with solution state biomolecular NMR expertise to join our group. I can provide access to high-end instrumentation and technical assistance via our membership at the New York Structural Biology Center. #nmr #academicsky #postdoc

5 3

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · Jul 10

Glad to see this work out in its final form! Congrats to the team!

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Structural Features Within Precursor microRNA-20a Regulate Dicer-TRBP Processing

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression of target messenger (m) RNAs. To maintain proper miR…

www.sciencedirect.com

1 9

Reposted by Sarah Keane

Jill Townley @jilltownley.bsky.social · Jul 9

Learn more about how Eterna puzzles are being used for RNA education and outreach at the middle school, high school, and college level in the latest RCSB PDB newsletter. 🧬 🧪
cdn.rcsb.org/rcsb-pdb/gen...

3 7

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · Jul 2

Congrats Qi!!

UNC Biochemistry and Biophysics department @unc-bcbp.bsky.social · Jul 2

Congratulations to Dr. Qi Zhang Named Inaugural Arrel Toews Research and Teaching Distinguished Term Professor!

text "Dr. Qi Zhang Named Inaugural Arrel Toews Research and Teaching Distinguished Term Professor"

image Qi Zhang PhD standing outside the Genetic Medicine building wearing a blue dress shirt
text "Dr. Qi Zhang, Professor and Associate Chair of Community and Engagement in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, has been named the inaugural Arrel Toews Research and Teaching Distinguished Term Professor, effective July 1, 2025. This professorship recognizes Dr. Zhang’s outstanding contributions to research, education, and the academic community."

1 3

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · Jun 25

Grace's manuscript describing a combined virtual/experimental screening approach for identifying small molecule ligands that bind pre-miR-31 is online!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Integrated in silico and experimental screening identifies novel ligands that target precursor microRNA-31 at the Dicer cleavage site

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression and the dysregulation in mature miRNA levels has been implicated in a wide variety of diseases. In particular, altered levels of mature microRNA-31 (miR-31)...

www.biorxiv.org

1 5

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · Jun 25

2nd defense of the summer! Congratulations to Dr. Aldrex Munsayac! It has been a pleasure to work with and learn from you!

2 2

Reposted by Sarah Keane

Magnetic Resonance News @nmr900.bsky.social · Jun 20

ACS Bio & Med Chem Au (open) Consolidated 3-Fold Isotopic Lens for Probing RNAs, Solomon K. Attionu, Lukasz T. Olenginski, Frances P. Stump, Theodore K. Dayie* pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/... #NMRchat 🧲

Consolidated 3-Fold Isotopic Lens for Probing RNAs

Undesired scalar and dipolar couplings are two major interactions that complicate structural and dynamic studies in solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Recent developments in site-...

pubs.acs.org

2 3

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · Jun 11

Great news!! Congratulations!!!

1 1

Reposted by Sarah Keane

Carolyn Bertozzi @carolynbertozzi.bskyverified.social · Jun 9

Please join the chorus of voices, including my own, in support of the talented, hardworking and dedicated scientists and staff at NIH. They serve their country by deploying their training and skills to improve the health and quality of life of all Americans 🙏 🇺🇸

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Jun 9

www.standupforscience.net/bethesda-dec...

3 52 130

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · Jun 6

Congratulations to Dr. Arhin for an outstanding thesis defense earlier this week!

2 7

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · Jun 4

Thrilled that @mnwestwood.bsky.social and I have been recognized with a PACE Fellowship for Graduate Student-Faculty Mentor Pairs! More great things to come!

5

Reposted by Sarah Keane

Neil Lewis, Jr. @neillewisjr.bsky.social · Jun 3

After resigning from Michigan and bending over backwards to try and appease them, "The Florida Board of Governors voted Tuesday to reject Santa Ono as the next president of the University of Florida"
www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...

Florida Board Rejects Ono for UF Job

The Florida Board of Governors decided against confirming Santa Ono as president of the University of Florida in a contentious vote focused on diversity, equity and inclusion.

www.insidehighered.com

15 41 150

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · May 27

CONGRATULATIONS DENISE!!
cen.acs.org/biological-c...

2025 Talented 12: Denise Okafor

Studying protein-drug interactions to avoid side effects

cen.acs.org

1

Reposted by Sarah Keane

Yamuna Krishnan @krishnanyamuna.bsky.social · May 16

This is why he is The Boss

The New York Times @nytimes.com · May 16

Bruce Springsteen opened his tour in England with a forceful denunciation of President Trump. “In my home, the America I love, the America I’ve written about that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration.”

Springsteen, in England, Blasts Trump Administration as ‘Treasonous’

www.nytimes.com

1 4

Reposted by Sarah Keane

Goss Scientific @goss-scientific.bsky.social · May 12

It's National Limerick day! A slight deviation from our regular posts. English artist, illustrator, author and poet Edward Lear was born on this day in 1812.

To celebrate, Goss Scientific have put their own spin* on the classic limerick form.

#NationalLimerickDay #nmr

*pun intended

3 4

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · May 12

Another preprint posted! Yaping and Cade @chembiocade.bsky.social uncovered important structural elements in pre-miR-20a that impact Dicer processing. Huge thanks to both Megan @mnwestwood.bsky.social and Aldrex whose experiments rounded out this work!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Structural features within precursor microRNA-20a regulate Dicer-TRBP processing

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression of target messenger (m) RNAs. To maintain proper miRNA expression levels, the enzymatic processing of ...

www.biorxiv.org

1 2 7

Sarah Keane @keanelab.bsky.social · May 9

New preprint from the lab - Grace has been instrumental in leading the lab into the RNA-targeting space.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

In silico discovery of compounds targeting NPSL2: a regulatory element in the human oncomiR-1 primary microRNA.

NPSL2 is a stem loop element within the oncomiR-1 polycistronic primary microRNA (miRNA) cluster. NPSL2 is predicted to mediate conformational rearrangements within oncomiR-1 to regulate the biogenesi...

www.biorxiv.org

3 7