The Society for RNA Therapeutics Names Charter Board Members


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RNA therapeutics are changing the way medicine is developed and delivered. The Society for RNA Therapeutics is led by an international group of scientists and physicians and is dedicated to serving scientists, clinicians, patient groups, policymakers and the broader public.

The Society for RNA Therapeutics is pleased to announce the members of its charter board of directors. The mission of the newly formed nonprofit scientific society is to promote translational research and development of RNA therapeutics to improve global health. RNA therapeutics have the potential to revolutionize numerous potential medical applications, including treatment of genetic diseases, cancer treatment, vaccines, regenerative medicine, and rare diseases.

“RNA therapeutics are changing the way medicine is developed and delivered,” said John P. Cooke, M.D., Ph.D., Founder and President of the Society for RNA Therapeutics. “The Society for RNA Therapeutics is led by an international group of scientists and physicians and is dedicated to serving scientists, clinicians, patient groups, policymakers and the broader public. Together, the Society will promote research, education and share key advances in this rapidly emerging field of medicine.”

The charter members of the Society for RNA Therapeutics Board of Directors are:

President: John P. Cooke, M.D., Ph.D.

Medical Director, Center for RNA Therapeutics

Chief Translational Officer, Houston Methodist Academic Institute

Vice President: Bruce A. Sullenger, Ph.D.

Joseph and Dorothy Beard Professor

Department of Surgery, Duke University

Secretary-Treasurer: Lior Zangi, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Genetics and Genomic Sciences

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Annemieke Aartsma-Rus, Ph.DD.

Professor of Translational Genetics

Department of Human Genetics

Leiden University Medical Center

Virginia Arechavala-Gomeza, Ph.D.

Ikerbasque Research Professor

Group Leader, Neuromuscular Disorders,

Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute

Maria Carmo-Fonseca, MD, Ph.D.

Immediate Past President, RNA Society

Group Leader, Instituto de Medicina Molecular

Pieter R. Cullis, Ph.D., FRSC, FNAI (USA)

Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – UBC

Nanomedicines Research Group

Founding Director, Centre for Drug Research and Development

Founding Scientific Director and CEO, NanoMedicines Innovation Network

Michelle L. Hastings, Ph.D.

Director, Center for Genetic Diseases

Professor and Vice-Chair, Cell Biology and Anatomy

Chicago Medical School

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

Amanda E. Hargrove, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Chemistry

Duke University

Adrian Krainer, Ph.D.

St. Giles Foundation Professor

Cancer Center Deputy Director of Research

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Prof. Dan Peer, Ph.D.

Director, Laboratory of Precision NanoMedicine

Shmunis School for Biomedicine and Cancer Research

Tel Aviv University

Department of Cell Research and Immunology, Dept of Cell Research & Immunology

Anna Marie Pyle Ph.D.

Sterling Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and Professor of Chemistry

Yale University

John J. Rossi, Ph.D.

Professor and Director, Center for RNA Biology and Therapeutics

Dean Emeritus, Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences

City of Hope

Timothy Yu, M.D., Ph.D.

Attending Physician, Division of Genetics and Genomics

Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School

Boston Children’s Hospital

Division of Genetics and Genomics

The Society for RNA Therapeutics is a global network with goals that impact all aspects of RNA therapeutics:


  • Support translational research and development of RNA therapeutics
  • Develop standards for RNA manufacturing and guidelines for clinical trials
  • Facilitate public-private-regulatory partnerships and to advocate for accessible RNA therapeutics for all patients
  • Provide public and professional education and develop training guidelines
  • Advocate for patients with diseases amenable to RNA therapies
  • Develop clinical best practices in RNA therapeutics
  • Support early career and professional development
  • Advocate accessibility to RNA therapeutics for low and middle income countries for the enhancement of global health

The Society for RNA Therapeutics also launched its website that provides information about the organization’s goals, news about and RNA therapeutics, becoming a member, sponsorship and future events. Read more about the Society for RNA Therapeutics on the newly released website, http://www.srnat.org.

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