Leslie+VanOs

My name is Leslie, and I'm a Molecular Biologist. I'm currently studying a disease called Myotonic Dystrophy (DM), which is a form of Muscular Dystrophy. DM is caused by toxic RNA repeats. When there are a lot of these repeats (more than 50), the RNA folds up into a very specific structure, which certain proteins like to bind. These proteins are then unable to perform the normal job they do within our cells, and many different things get messed up.

Right now I'm working on crystallizing one of these proteins bound to an RNA so we can figure out how this protein recognizes the RNAs it's supposed to bind. I'm also crystallizing the toxic RNAs along with potential drugs for DM so that we can hopefully design a better drug.