First-of-its-kind RNA-based tool developed for cancer and infectious disease research
Researchers at the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) have created a tool that can scan thousands of biological samples to detect transfer RNA (tRNA) modifications. These tiny chemical changes regulate how cells grow, adapt to stress, and respond to diseases such as cancer and antibiotic-resistant infections. The breakthrough opens new possibilities for faster disease research, more accurate diagnostics, and the development of improved treatments.
The project was led by SMART’s Antimicrobial Resistance research group in collaboration with Nanyang Technological University, the University of Florida, the University at Albany, Lodz University of Technology, and MIT.
Current methods to study RNA modifications are slow, expensive, and involve hazardous chemicals. To overcome these limits, the SMART team designed an automated system that uses robotics to prepare and analyze samples safely and efficiently. The system can profile thousands of tRNA modifications in a fraction of the time, reducing costs and risks while increasing research capacity.
In their study, published in Nucleic Acids Research, the researchers used the tool to analyze more than 5,700 genetically modified strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium that causes pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and wound infections. By processing over 200,000 data points, the system revealed previously unknown RNA-modifying enzymes and mapped gene networks that control how bacteria adapt to stress. One discovery showed that the enzyme MiaB, which modifies tRNA, is highly sensitive to iron, sulfur, and low oxygen levels.
The team explained that this large-scale profiling provides a clearer view of the epitranscriptome, the collection of all RNA modifications in cells. It allows scientists to validate theories, discover new biology, and identify molecular targets for drugs and diagnostics. Professor Peter Dedon of MIT noted that the tool represents a major advance in decoding RNA’s role in disease and could speed up the development of targeted therapies against cancer and resistant infections.
The system also has applications in industry. Pharmaceutical and biotech companies can use it for drug discovery, biomarker screening, and evaluating how treatments affect RNA modifications. Dr. Jingjing Sun, first author of the paper, said the tool makes large-scale epitranscriptomic analysis practical for the first time, opening the door to new diagnostics and therapeutic targets.
SMART plans to expand the tool’s use to human cells and tissues, with the aim of translating the technology into clinical research. This would accelerate the search for biomarkers and personalized treatments for cancer and infectious diseases. The work is supported by Singapore’s National Research Foundation through the CREATE program.
Category: Top Story
