Structure-Based RNA Therapeutics
We use high-resolution structure determination and computational design to create RNAs with programmable folding, stability, and biological function.
McRae Lab
Designing RNA structures for next-generation therapeutics.
We combine structural biology, RNA engineering, and synthetic biology to understand and reprogram RNA folding, regulation, and function.
Contact
Contact Me
Mission
RNA design grounded in structure.
The McRae Lab develops structure-guided approaches for functional RNA nanostructures, regulatory RNA elements, and cell-state-specific mRNA therapies. Our work integrates cryo-EM, computational design, and molecular biology to build RNAs with therapeutic and biomedical potential.
Research
What We Study
RNA Origami and Nanostructures
We study how complex RNA assemblies fold co-transcriptionally and how designed RNA scaffolds can be repurposed for biomedical applications.
UTR Regulation and mRNA Design
We investigate how structured 5' and 3' untranslated regions control RNA stability, translation, and cell-state-specific expression.
Cryo-EM for RNA Biology
We apply cryo-electron microscopy and integrative modeling to resolve flexible RNA molecules and RNA-protein machines.
People
Team
Current Members
Ewan McRae, PhD
Principal Investigator
Tatiana Molden, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Haoyun Yang, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Aditya Singha Roy, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Momodou Camara, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Zixuan Li
PhD Student
Former Members
Deepak Yadav Kumar, PhD
Research Associate
Bente Kring Hansen, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Rhonda Holgate, PhD
Research Assistant
Selected Work
Publications
2024
Cryo-EM structure and functional landscape of an RNA polymerase ribozyme
McRae E.K.S., Wan C.J.K., et al. PNAS.
2023
Structure, folding and flexibility of co-transcriptional RNA origami
McRae E.K.S., Rasmussen H.O., Liu J., et al. Nature Nanotechnology.
2021
RNA origami design tools enable cotranscriptional folding of kilobase-sized nanoscaffolds
Geary C., Grossi G., McRae E.K.S., et al. Nature Chemistry.
2017
Human DDX21 binds and unwinds RNA guanine quadruplexes
McRae E.K.S., Booy E.P., et al. Nucleic Acids Research.
Updates
Lab News
The lab's first independent manuscript was published. Congratulations to Deepak Yadav Kumar and Haoyun Yang, who are co-first authors.
Aditya Singha Roy and Momodou Camara joined as postdocs, Zixuan Li rotated as the lab's first PhD candidate, and Bente Hansen departed for Denmark.
The lab moved to Dynamic One at Helix Park.
Ewan was named a Pew Biomedical Scholar. Thank you to The Pew Charitable Trusts for supporting our research.
Jennifer Le and Tess Pacetti joined through the Houston Methodist Summer Undergraduate Research Intern Program.
Haoyun Yang joined the lab as a postdoctoral researcher.
Join Us
We are looking for creative RNA scientists.
Prospective postdoctoral fellows, students, and research staff interested in RNA structural biology, RNA design, cryo-EM, or synthetic biology are encouraged to reach out.