RNA biology: Mechanisms, Technologies, and Critical Analysis
Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences at University of Copenhagen
This course is free of charge for PhD students at Danish universities (except Copenhagen Business School), and for PhD Students from NorDoc member faculties. All other participants must pay the course fee.
Anyone can apply for the course, but if you are not a PhD student at a Danish university, you will be placed on the waiting list until enrollment deadline. This also applies to PhD students from NorDoc member faculties. After the enrollment deadline, available seats will be allocated to applicants on the waiting list.
Learning objectives
A student who has met the objectives of the course will be able to:
1. Describe RNA biotypes, RNA modifications and their impact on RNA function and disease progression.
2. Understand state-of-the-art technologies to detect and quantify RNA molecules and modifications.
3. Understand how to read and critical evaluate papers focused on RNA biology.
Content
The advancements in next-generation sequencing have unveiled novel classes of RNAs and their roles in development and diseases. The recent progress in RNA-based pharmaceuticals has given rise to the field of RNA therapeutics. This course is designed to equip students with a a comprehensive appreciation of the fundamental principles and methodologies of RNA biology and effective RNA targeting strategies across various disease contexts. By combining theoretical knowledge with practical research applications, students will acquire the skills needed to conceptualize RNA-based research.
The course will provide a comprehensive overview of RNA molecules, modifications, and their potential implications in disease and diagnostics. It will describe state-of-the-art technology in the analysis and quantification of RNA. It will also provide real-life examples of RNA targeting strategies and their application in human disease. Students will gain valuable practical experience in critically evaluating emerging RNA research.
Participants
This course is designed for PhD students with a background in molecular biology, genetics, or related disciplines. It is particularly relevant to those interested in RNA molecular biology, RNA-based therapeutics, drug discovery, and precision medicine.
Relevance to graduate programmes
The course is relevant to PhD students from the following graduate programmes at the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences, UCPH:
All graduate programmes
Language
English
Form
The course will consist of a combination of lectures, paper reading and critique, and interactive discussions. Students will be encouraged to actively participate in scenario-based learning activities, where they will apply the concepts learned to critical evaluate emerging research.
Course director
Cristian Bellodi, Professor, cristian.bellodi@bric.ku.dk
Anders Lund. Professor. Andres.lund@bric.ku.dk
Co-organizers:
Martin Jansson, Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen
Mariel Kleer, Postdoc, University of Copenhagen
Jutta Hafner, Postdoc, University of Copenhagen
Silvia Tucciarone, PhD student, University of Copenhagen
Teachers
Invited Speakers such as:
Denis Lafontaine, Professor, Université libre de Bruxelles
Francesco Nicassio, Professor, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia
Chandrasekhar Kanduri, University of Gothenburg
Maciej Ciesla, iMOL (Polish Academy of Science)
Francisca Aguillo, University of Umeå
Kamil Krank, Professor, Bart Cancer Institute
Michaela Frye, Professor, German Cancer Institute (DKFZ)
Stacy Horner, Duke Cancer Institute
Lisa Frankel, Danish Cancer Institute
Martin Jansson, Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen
Anders Lund, Professor, University of Copenhagen
Cristian Bellodi, Professor, University of Copenhagen
Dates
09 -13 November 2026
Course location
Room 4-0-32 at the Biocentre
Ole Maaløes Vej 5, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
Registration
Please register before 11 October 2026
Expected frequency
Unknown
Seats to PhD students from other Danish universities will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and according to the applicable rules. Applications from other participants will be considered after the last day of enrolment.