Yildirim Lab · Florida Atlantic University
Small Molecule–RNA Binding
How small molecules recognize disease-relevant RNA motifs and repeat expansions.
Small Molecule–RNA Binding
Many heritable diseases, including Myotonic Dystrophy, Huntington’s disease, and Fragile X Syndrome, are associated with RNA transcripts that contain expanded repeats. These RNA systems contain distinctive structural motifs, including non-Watson-Crick base pairs and dynamic internal loops, making them attractive but challenging targets for therapeutic discovery.
The lab uses molecular simulations and related computational methods to understand how small molecules bind RNA repeat expansions, why certain motifs are selectively recognized, and how conformational dynamics shape binding pathways.
Key themes: RNA repeat expansions, ligand recognition, dynamic docking, conformational ensembles, small molecule targeting of RNA-associated disease.
