Congratulations to Professor Mark Bayfield, Department of Biology, for receiving more than $920,000 from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) for the project “Regulation of gene expression by the La and La-related proteins.” He was one of five researchers at York to receive funding in the latest CIHR Project Grants competition – a program that supports a variety of health-related research initiatives from initial discovery to practical application.

The La and La-related proteins (LARPs) are a family of RNA-binding factors that play fundamental roles in cellular processes linked to human health. When DNA is transcribed into messenger RNAs (mRNAs) that are then translated into proteins, the La and LARPs have important functions to make sure this happens correctly. When they are not working properly though, problems can happen. The dysregulation of La and LARP function has been linked extensively to cancer and infection by viruses; but details on how this happens are thin.

In his project, Bayfield aims to identify the genes that rely on La and LARPs as well the ways in which these proteins control gene expression. His team plans to expand on their previous work studying these proteins in human cells and simple organisms like fission yeast and ciliates. Their research will aim to advance the understanding of the roles of La and LARPs in causing diseases and how human cells respond to stress, ultimately leading to substantial new understanding for many challenges to human health.