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Roy Parker, distinguished professor of biochemistry and director of the BioFrontiers Institute, will deliver an in-person lecture “Adventures with RNA in health and disease” at 4 p.m. on April 5 in the Chancellor’s Hall and Auditorium.

Parker was selected to receive the 2021-22 Distinguished Research Lectureship, which is among the most esteemed honors bestowed by the faculty upon a faculty member at the �鶹ӰԺ.

Rebecca Maloy, a professor of musicology and director of the Center for Medieval and Early Modern Studies, was also selected to receive a 2021-22 Distinguished Research Lectureship. Maloy’s lecture “Constructing Sanctity Through Sound in Early Medieval Iberia” took place on March 8.

�鶹ӰԺ Professor Roy Parker

Roy Parker is a distinguished professor of biochemistry and Cech-Leinwand chair of biochemistry, Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and director of the BioFrontiers Institute.

Parker is a global leader in the study of ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules, which are both molecular machines and the messenger of genetic information. His pioneering work has revealed new aspects of the life of RNA molecules and how abnormalities in RNA regulation can lead to bone marrow failure diseases and contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease.

He is an elected Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a Member of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Parker’s excellence in mentorship is demonstrated by the success of his past trainees in many economic sectors and fields of study. His outstanding dedication to university service is particularly evident in his critical scientific leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the CU �鶹ӰԺ response. 

�鶹ӰԺ the lecture: Adventures with RNA in health and disease  

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules and their regulation are central to normal human cellular function. RNA misregulation can lead to bone marrow failure disorders and contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease. Disease-causing disruptions are diverse and include altered RNA longevity, storage and cellular trafficking. Our goals are to understand the lives of human RNAs from birth to death, determine how abnormalities in the normal RNA life cycle can lead to human diseases, and use that insight to suggest new therapeutic approaches.    

�鶹ӰԺ the Distinguished Research Lectureship

Each year, the Research & Innovation Office (RIO) requests nominations from faculty for the Distinguished Research Lectureship and a faculty review panel recommends one or more faculty members as recipients.  

The lectureship honors a tenured faculty member, research professor (associate or full) or adjoint professor who has been with CU �鶹ӰԺ for at least five years and is widely recognized for a distinguished body of academic or creative achievement and prominence, as well as contributions to the educational and service missions of CU �鶹ӰԺ. Each recipient typically presents a lecture in the fall or spring following selection and receives a $2,000 honorarium.