The Tuschl lab is working to develop small-molecule drugs that inhibit the RNA cap methyltransferase of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The Tuschl lab recently established that RNA cap methylases of RNA viruses are excellent targets for preventing viral replication and that potent and specific inhibitors can be identified by drug screening and medicinal chemistry optimization of the screening hits.
RNA functions not only as a carrier of genetic information, but also as a catalyst and guide for the processing or regulation of other RNA molecules. Cells have evolved mechanisms to sense aberrant sequence, structure, and chemical modification of nucleic acids by a process known as innate immunity. Tuschl is investigating these mechanisms in human cells with the goal of developing treatments for genetic and inflammatory diseases.
