Ya-Cheng Liao, PhD

Neurons are among the most structurally complex and long-lived cells in the body, with highly polarized morphology and the ability to respond rapidly to external stimuli. To maintain proper function over a lifetime, neurons rely on tight spatial and temporal regulation of gene expression. Central to this regulation is the control of mRNAs —the molecular templates for protein synthesis—through their localization, translation, and degradation. These processes are essential for shaping the neuronal proteome and supporting synapse development, plasticity, and cognitive functions such as learning and memory. Dysregulation of mRNA metabolism has been increasingly linked to the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.

Our lab studies how RNA localization and translation respond to neuronal activity, metabolic changes, and cellular stress. We investigate how mRNA metabolism interacts with other proteostasis-related processes, and how disruptions in these pathways contribute to neurodegenerative disorders. To address these questions, we combine molecular and biochemical approaches with advanced imaging techniques—including super-resolution microscopy and volume electron microscopy—to visualize the life cycle of mRNAs in neurons in real time at single-molecule resolution, and to map their localization and function in situ and in vivo. Visit the Liao Lab to learn more.