Gaëlle J. S. Talross, PhD

I'm fascinated by the mysteries of how long non-coding (lnc) RNAs shape neuronal function, a key to unlocking insights into neurological disorders. Using the robust experimental toolkit inherent to the fly chemosensory systems, I investigate the complex role of lncRNAs in both neurons and behavior.

During my Ph.D. training with Dr. Joseph Gall and Dr. Nicholas Ingolia, I explored the intricate facets of lncRNAs. My discoveries include (i) demonstrating that stable intronic sequence (sis) RNAs can be exported to the cytoplasm and (ii) showing that a class of sisRNA modulates snoRNA levels, which are crucial for ribosomal function. Additionally, I (iii) uncovered insights into the dual nature of 7SL RNA and (iv) contributed to the discovery that specific lncRNAs encode micropeptides.

As a postdoctoral fellow under Dr. John Carlson, I've established a groundwork to use the fly chemosensory systems for probing the non-coding roles of neuronal RNA across molecular, cellular, physiological, and behavioral dimensions. My research unveils connections between RNAs, neuronal functions, and adaptive behaviors.