I study how RNA is regulated and modified in the human body to maintain health, and what happens when RNA becomes dysregulated, potentially leading to uncontrolled cell growth and cancer. My goal is to uncover new insights into these disease mechanisms, which could lead to new therapeutic strategies and improved patient outcomes.
Research group
RNA Biology and Innate Immune Sensing
Biography
Professor Walkley’s research focuses on understanding how RNA modification by ADAR proteins alters the RNA landscape and contribute to normal physiology and cancer.
ADAR1 and ADAR2 proteins change the sequence of RNA by converting adenosine nucleotides to inosine, a process called ‘A-to-I RNA editing’. Prof Walkley studies the physiological roles of ADAR1 and the consequences of its ‘A-to-I RNA editing’ on cellular RNAs. He is particularly interested in the intersection of the ‘A-to-I RNA editing’ pathway with the cellular innate immune system, which defends against foreign RNA, such as viruses.
A significant area of interest for Prof Walkley is understanding how mutations in ADAR1 cause human disease, such as the rare childhood disease Aicardi-Goutières Syndrome.
His goal is to understand how RNA editing and gene mutations by generating models to study how the key genes identified in these syndromes function and ultimately to find new treatments for these rare diseases.
Prof Walkley uses a range of approaches, including genetics, cell biology and computational biology, to gain comprehensive insights into these processes.
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