Pushing the Boundaries of RNA
Donald H. Burke Lab
Research Interests
The Burke lab explores the many roles of ribonucleic acid, or RNA. This substance has long been known to function in cells to help copy genetic information from DNA, but scientists increasingly recognize many other tasks that RNA carries out.
The lab pushes the boundaries of what is possible to achieve with RNA. From using aptamers to target cancer, using ribozymes to explore the RNA origins of life on Earth, and using protein engineering to understand RNA-protein interactions in viral replication, a theme that unifies the lab’s projects is the relationships among macromolecular sequence, function, selection pressures, design, evolution, and biological impact.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Donald H. Burke-Agüero
Principal Investigator, Bond LSC
Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
phone(573) 884-1316
email burkedh@missouri.edu
Donald H. Burke-Agüero is a professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology.
More about Donald H. Burke-Agüero
ABOUT THE LAB
Donald H. Burke-Agüero runs an interdisciplinary research group interested in the biochemistry and biology of RNA and related nucleic acids. They explore and exploit nucleic acids along four themes:
- Using aptamers to target cancer cells, stem cells, and other tissues for drug delivery, imaging, and immunomodulation.
- Natural and artificial RNA and RNA-protein complexes that drive virus replication, currently emphasizing an unusual set of reverse transcriptases from DNA viruses such as the Caulimoviridae family of plant viruses.
- Developing robust, multiple-turnover ribozyme catalysts for engineered metabolisms, synthetic biology and origins of life applications.
- Developing cutting-edge data science and machine learning approaches to RNA design problems.
In short, they strive to push the boundaries of what is possible to achieve with RNA. A theme that unifies all these projects is the relationships among macromolecular sequence, function, selection pressures, design, evolution, and biological impact.
LAB MEMBERS
Research Topics
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Antiviral drug resistance
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Aptamers for targeted drug delivery
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Artificial enzyme development
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Cancer immunotherapy
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Deep learning and AI for biological data
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Drug delivery and therapeutic development
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Enzyme design and engineering
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Genomic tools and systems biology
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Host-pathogen interactions
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Machine learning
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Metabolic pathway engineering
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Metabolic pathways and mechanisms
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Origins of Life and Synthetic Biology
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Plant-microbe interactions
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RNA virus replication
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Virus pathogenesis and transmission
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Antiviral drug resistance
-
Aptamers for targeted drug delivery
-
Artificial enzyme development
-
Cancer immunotherapy
-
Deep learning and AI for biological data
-
Drug delivery and therapeutic development
-
Enzyme design and engineering
-
Genomic tools and systems biology
-
Host-pathogen interactions
-
Machine learning
-
Metabolic pathway engineering
-
Metabolic pathways and mechanisms
-
Origins of Life and Synthetic Biology
-
Plant-microbe interactions
-
RNA virus replication
-
Virus pathogenesis and transmission
In The News
July 25, 2022
Chemical Correspondence: MU researcher plays key role in overseas aptamer technology
By Cara Penquite | Bond LSC Donald Burke is a principal investigator at the Bond Life Sciences Center. He is a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology and a joint professor of biochemistry. Photo by Lauren Hines | Bond LSC What started as an email correspondence between two aptamer enthusiasts rapidly snowballed into a hat trick of authorships for Donald Burke. “I was contacted by a student in India asking if I would be an external advisor for her Ph.D. committee,” said Burke, a principal investigator at MU’s Bond Life Sciences Center. Burke’s extensive research with…
Nov. 9, 2020
Unknown Origins
$5 million grant awarded to study RNA’s place in start of life on Earth In his lab at Bond LSC, Donald Burke-Agüero examines his model of the RNA protein structure. | Photo by Lauren Hines, Bond LSC By Lauren Hines | Bond LSC The search for life on other planets may seem quite literally out of reach, but the search actually starts here, on Earth. “Something that guides people in thinking about how life might come about on other worlds is trying to understand how life might have started here on this planet,” said Donald Burke-Agüero,…
Nov. 14, 2017
Dr. Burke wins Distinguished Professor Award
Donald Burke-Agüero stands in his office in Bond LSC, holding a model of an RNA protein structure. Burke-Agüero studies the bio-chemical functions of RNA, and how those functions might be able to be artificially designed or replicated. | Phillip Sitter, Bond LSC By Samantha Kummerer, Bond LSC “He’s a triple threat in science,” Bond Life Sciences researcher David Pintel said. Donald Burke’s combination of scientific excellence, caring mentorship and devotion to the University of Missouri led Pintel to nominate Burke for the 2017 William H. Byler Distinguished Professor Award. The university agreed, awarding him the…