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Yunsun Nam, Ph.D.

Yunsun Nam, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Endowed Title
Southwestern Medical Foundation Scholar in Biomedical Research
School
Medical School
Department
Biochemistry | Biophysics
Graduate Programs
Biological Chemistry, Molecular Biophysics
  • Biography

    Yunsun Nam, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and the Department of Biophysics at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. She is a Southwestern Medical Foundation Scholar in Biomedical Research and a member of the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer. 

     

    Dr. Nam obtained her undergraduate degree in Biochemical Sciences, from Harvard College. She received her PhD in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School, for her work on the structure and function of intracellular Notch and its activation of transcription complexes. Her postdoctoral work included more mechanistic investigation of nucleic acid/protein complexes, focusing on Lin28 and let-7 microRNAs. She received the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Fellowship and the Charles A. King Trust Fellowship as a postdoctoral fellow. As an independent investigator, Dr. Nam was awarded the Pew Biomedical Scholarship, Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering, and the Kavli Fellowship. 

     

    The Nam lab focuses on studying the fundamental principles governing the folding and interactions of non-protein coding RNAs with other molecules. Their primary research area is exploring how RNA sequence and structure contribute to effective communication with proteins. The group employs structural biology, biochemistry, and cell biology to examine RNA chemistry and architecture in complex with their cognate factors. Their group has elucidated core mechanisms of microRNA processing by Microprocessor and revealed a cryo-electron microscopy structure of the processing machinery in action. They continue to investigate the regulatory pathways of small RNAs involving RNA chaperones, helicases, heme, and long-range interactions. Furthermore, the group also investigates how various modification enzymes recognize and catalyze chemistry on RNAs. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the function and regulation of RNA-protein complexes is helping the Nam lab to open new avenues for comprehending diseases at the molecular level and developing successful therapeutic strategies.

     

  • Education
    Undergraduate
    Harvard Uni-Harvard College (1999), Biocchemical Sciences
    Graduate School
    Harvard University (2006)
  • Research Interest
    • Biochemistry
    • Gene regulation
    • non-coding RNAs
    • Structure and Function of Macromolecular complexes
  • Publications

    Star Featured Publications

    Featured Featured Featured Featured Featured Featured Featured
    U6 snRNA m6A modification is required for accurate and efficient splicing of C. elegans and human pre-mRNAs.
    Shen A, Hencel K, Parker MT, Scott R, Skukan R, Adesina AS, Metheringham CL, Miska EA, Nam Y, Haerty W, Simpson GG, Akay A, Nucleic Acids Res 2024 May
    Von Hippel Lindau tumor suppressor controls m6A-dependent gene expression in renal tumorigenesis.
    Zhang C, Yu M, Hepperla AJ, Zhang Z, Raj R, Zhong H, Zhou J, Hu L, Fang J, Liu H, Liang Q, Jia L, Liao C, Xi S, Simon JM, Xu K, Liu Z, Nam Y, Kapur P, Zhang Q, J Clin Invest 2024 Apr 134 8
    Cancer mutations rewire the RNA methylation specificity of METTL3-METTL14.
    Zhang C, Tunes L, Hsieh MH, Wang P, Kumar A, Khadgi BB, Yang Y, Doxtader KA, Herrell E, Koczy O, Setlem R, Zhang X, Evers B, Wang Y, Xing C, Zhu H, Nam Y, bioRxiv 2023 Mar
  • Honors & Awards
    • MAVEN scholar
      (2021)
    • Kavli Fellow, National Academy of Sciences
      (2014)
    • Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences
      (2014)
    • Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas
      First Time Faculty Recruitment Award (2013)
    • Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering
      The David and Lucile Packard Foundation (2013)
    • Southwestern Medical Foundation Scholar in Biomedical Research
      Endowed Scholars Program, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (2013)
    • Charles A. King Trust Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
      (2011)
    • Damon Runyon Postdoctoral Fellowship
      (2007)
    • The Jane Coffin Childs Postdoctoral Fellowship
      (2007)