Winner: 2024 Faraday Division Horizon Prize
Lighting up RNA team
For the development of two bright multi-colour fluorogenic aptamer tags, and for demystifying the fluorescence activation mechanism, enabling efficient imaging of diverse RNAs in living cells.
The Lighting up RNA team is a collaboration between groups from Zhejiang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and the East China University of Science and Technology.
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is found in all living cells and plays a key role in making proteins. These tiny molecules are like instructions that tell cells how to function. The Lighting up RNA team has developed two multicoloured tags – Pepper and Clivia – that can find these molecules and glow brightly when they attach to them.
The team’s research combined chemical, chemical biological, structural biological, and cell biological methods to achieve this breakthrough. Scientists will now be able to see RNA molecules inside living cells much more easily and gain a better understanding of how cells work
"Thank you for honoring our team with this special award! Receiving the Horizon Prize inspires us to delve deeper into the exploration of fluorogenic aptamers with exceptional photophysical properties and to create even more impactful application tools."
Lighting up RNA team
The team
Bingkun Bao, Assistant professor, Shanghai Jiaotong University
Chunyan Bao, Professor, East China University Of Science and Technology
Xianjun Chen, Professor, East China University of Science and Technology
Zhengda Chen, Postdoctor, East China University of Science and Technology
Wenli Du, Professor, East China University of Science and Technology
Mengyue Fang, Postdoctor, East China University of Science and Technology
Xin Hua, Technical assistant, Shanghai Jiaotong University
Kaiyi Huang, PHD student, Zhejiang University
Xinyi Huang, PHD student, Shanghai Jiaotong University
Li Jiang, Assistant professor, Shanghai Jiaotong University
Yu Jingwei, Researcher, WuXi AppTec
Chunyan Li, PHD student, Zhejiang University
Huiwen Li, Senior Research Fellow, Shanghai Rightongene Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
Ningfeng Li, Technical assistant, Shanghai Jiaotong University
Qiuning Lin, Professor, Shanghai Jiaotong University
Renmei Liu, Assistant professor, East China University of Science and Technology
Joseph Loscalzo, Professor, Harvard Medical School
Aiming Ren, Professor, Zhejiang University
Qianqian Song, PHD student, Zhejiang University
Ni Su, Assistant professor, East China University of Science and Technology
Wanghui, Field Application Scientist, Agilent Technology Co Ltd
Xin Xie, Postdoctor, East China University of Science and Technology
Jinjin Xu, Technical assistant, East China University of Science and Technology
Xiaochen Xu, Postdoctor, Zhejiang University
Lipeng Yang, Technical assistant, Shanghai Jiaotong University
Yi Yang, Professor, East China University of Science and Technology
Qingmei Zeng, PHD student, Shanghai Jiaotong University
Bibi Zhang, Student, East China University of Science and Technology
Dasheng Zhang, Technical assistant, East China University Of Science and Technology
Lixin Zhang, Professor, East China University of Science and Technology
Rui Zhang, Student, East China University of Science and Technology
Yuzheng Zhao, Professor, East China University of Science and Technology
Linyong Zhu, Professor , Shanghai Jiaotong University
Fangting Zuo, Postdoctor, East China University of Science and Technology
Q&A with Lighting up RNA team
Aiming Ren: The biggest challenge of this project lies in enhancing the performance of the fluorescent aptamers and expanding their impactful applications.
Xiaochen Xu: RNAs play critical roles within diverse biological systems. RNA-based fluorogenic aptamers can monitor the spatiotemporal localisation of RNA molecules and exhibit powerful utilization potentiality. The two new multi-colour fluorogenic aptamers, Pepper and Clivia, can break through the limitation, such as high fluorescence background, the misfolding scaffolds. The identification and structural research provide a robust foundation for the enhanced and more efficient utilization.
Qianqian Song: Fluorogenic RNA aptamer is one promising RNA labelling tool. However, the existing RNA imaging tools has various limitations, such as the strong fluorescence background of unbound fluorophores, misfold of aptamer, weak cell brightness. We identified two bright multi-colour fluorogenic aptamer, Pepper and Clivia, which allow simple and robust imaging of diverse RNA species in live cells with minimal perturbation of the target RNA’s transcription, localisation, and translation.
Xiaochen Xu: These new multi-colour fluorogenic aptamers significantly enhances the recognition sensitivity of fluorophores both in vitro and in vivo, shedding light on future efficient applications in various biomedical and research contexts. Genetically encoded sensors based on fluorogenic RNA have been engineered to detect various essential metabolites in living systems. The utilisation of these new fluorogenic RNAs may be extended from tagging and imaging the expression, location and transport of RNAs in living cells to detecting RNA-protein interactions and various essential metabolites in living systems in the future.
Aiming Ren: Over the last decade, the rapid advancement of diverse fluorogenic aptamer systems has greatly broadened the scope of RNA tools application in RNA research. As this field progresses, there is a growing need for fluorogenic aptamers with heightened fluorophore binding affinity, brightness, and photostability, alongside reduced background fluorescence and improved in vivo folding efficiency. These enhancements are vital for the creation of more effective RNA imaging tools in RNA biology and RNA-related drug development.
Qianqian Song:Chemical sciences are complex and full of challenges, and it is difficult for one person or one team to complete all aspects of a project. Collaboration can bring together talents with multiple professional backgrounds and skills, promote the communication of knowledge between various fields, and improve the depth of research.
Qianqian Song: Chemical sciences continue to drive innovation and progress in addressing global challenges, promoting sustainability, improving human health, and enhancing the quality of life for people around the world.
Xiaochen Xu: If you are considering a career in the chemical sciences, you should cultivate your curiosity and passion for chemistry, explore different areas of chemistry, engage in hands-on experiments, and seek out mentors or professionals in the field to learn about their experiences and gain insights into various career paths. Stay updated with the latest advancements and technologies in the field, and be prepared for challenges and setbacks.
Our winners
We are recognising individuals, collaborations and teams for their exceptional achievements in advancing the chemical sciences. Explore our prize winners, and discover and share their stories
Thank you to everybody who took the time to make a nomination this year, and to all of our volunteers on our judging panels.
