RNA played a critical role in the evolution of life and participates in a wide variety of biological processes that range from DNA replication, transcription, splicing, translation and metabolic regulation. A multitude of RNAs have informational, catalytic, structural and regulatory roles that complement protein functions in cellular regulation, communication and development. Over the years, RNA interference and ribozymes became powerful molecular tools to unravel biomedical and biological phenomena and the discovery of unanticipated regulatory and catalytic functions of small RNAs made RNA Biology an exciting and very promising research field, offering many opportunities to biological and biomedical researchers.

Our laboratory has been working on small RNAs for over 15 years and has amassed important expertise in RNA biology. The research group integrates 12 full time researchers (4 postdocs and 7 PhD students), plus MsC and rotation students carrying out research on the biology of tRNAs, microRNAs and on mRNA mistranslation and evolution of the genetic code. The laboratory is fully equipped to carry out research in RNA biology and has a DNA Microarray Facility, for mRNA and miRNA profiling. The group is integrated in the Biology Department of the University of Aveiro (http://www.ua.pt/bio/) and in the Stress Biology Program of the Associated Laboratory – CESAM  of the University of Aveiro (http://www.cesam.ua.pt/), and has strong links with the Bioinformatics Group of the University of Aveiro (http://bioinformatics.ua.pt/) and with the Biocant Biotechnology Research Centre (http://www.biocant.pt/). It is also supported by a network of important international collaborations.