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National Research Program PhD Scholarship Researcher: Brian Liddicoat Institute: St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research Project title: Role of RNA editing during normal blood development and the formation of blood cancer Disease focus: Leukaemia Annual Funding: $40,000 Funding period: 2012-2014 R-L Mr Brian Liddicoat and his supervisor, Dr. Carl Photo Walkley. Project summary Brian Liddicoat is investigating the role of ribonucleic acid (RNA) editing in the development of blood cells and leukaemia. RNA plays an important role in translating the genetic information contained in the DNA. RNA is produced when a single-stranded, complementary ‘copy’ of a gene’s DNA sequence is transcribed. Post-transcription, RNA editing can occur. Editing involves changing, adding or deleting the nucleotides that make up the RNA’s coding sequence. Editing can dramatically alter the proteins produced by the RNA (and their function in the cell). Brian is concentrating his research on the role of ADAR1, a type of protein known as an enzyme, which regulates RNA by changing its coding sequence. According to Brian, adult blood cells cannot develop without ADAR1. “My laboratory has strong evidence suggesting that ADAR1 plays an additional, essential role in red blood cells but that the enzyme is dispensable for the development of the myeloid and lymphoid white blood cells,” Brian said. “We aim to find out what ADAR1 does during normal blood cell development as well as in the formation of leukaemias. We don’t really understand the impact of ADARs in cancer but we think the activity is altered. “In acute lymphocytic leukaemia, low levels of the enzyme correlate with poor prognosis and we suspect RNA editing is associated with the development and progression of leukaemia.” Brian is studying under the supervision of the Leukaemia Foundation’s Philip Desbrow Senior Research Fellowship recipient, Dr Carl Walkely.