Amaresh Chandra Panda

High-throughput transcriptome-wide sequencing technologies and novel computational pipelines have revealed that novel RNA molecules are transcribed from the genome. Interestingly, several studies in the last decade have identified a large family of covalently closed single-stranded RNAs with 5' end or 3' poly(A) tails, which are termed circular RNAs (circRNAs). Increasing evidence suggests that circRNAs act as sponges for microRNAs and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), and as templates for protein translation via cap-independent mechanisms. However, only a few circRNAs have been characterized to possess biological functions, while the majority remains to be explored. Currently, more than a million circRNAs have been identified in various human tissues or cells. Although these novel circular transcripts have been characterized extensively, no consensus has been reached regarding the mechanism of action of these RNA circles. Our group is interested in characterizing the role of novel circRNAs in pancreatic beta-cell function and skeletal muscle regeneration.