Oxford Nanopore at the RNA Society 2025 Meeting
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The RNA Society is an international scientific society with 3500 members dedicated to fostering research and education in the field of RNA science. The Annual Meeting of the RNA Society attracts participants from across the globe to present the latest discoveries and advances in the burgeoning field of RNA science.
Meet the Oxford Nanopore team at our booth on site, or at our Sponsored Seminar on Wednesday, May 28th, 2025.
To save your seat, register below. Further session details to follow.
Oxford Nanopore Technologies' Sponsored Seminar
Date: Wednesday, May 28th
Time: 1:10 pm - 2:10 pm PT
Location: Ballroom B
Agenda
1:10 – 2:10 pm PST | Talk title | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
1:10 pm - 1:30 pm | Oxford Nanopore introduction | Libby Snell, Oxford Nanopore Technologies |
1:30 pm - 1:50 pm | Direct RNA nanopore sequencing reveals rapid changes to RNA modifications in human pancreatic beta cell lines following glucose stimulation | Dr. Leland Taylor, National Institutes of Health |
1:50 pm - 2:10 pm | Decoding human transcriptome architecture with Oxford Nanopore full-length RNA sequencing | Prof. Yasuhiro Murakawa, Kyoto University |
Speaker details
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Libby Snell, Director, RNA and cDNA Sample Technology, Oxford Nanopore TechnologiesLibby Snell, PhD, is the Director of RNA and cDNA Sample Technology, overseeing the R&D and applications of Oxford Nanopore Technologies’ RNA-based sequencing. She is an original designer and developer of direct RNA sequencing, as well as novel cDNA sequencing methods. Libby also leads the technical development of Oxford Nanopore’s mRNA QC identity and integrity test methodologies for biopharma cGMP. She has been with the company for over twelve years. She has a broad background in transcriptomics, molecular genetics, comparative genomics, and evolution & developmental biology from her MS, PhD and postdoctoral research (USA and UK) prior to her time at the company.
RNA modifications are critical regulators of gene expression and cellular processes. Here, we studied transcriptome-wide changes in RNA modifications and expression levels in two human pancreatic beta cell lines, EndoC-BH1 and EndoC-BH3, after one hour of glucose stimulation. Using direct RNA nanopore sequencing (dRNA-seq), we measured N6-methyladenosine (m6A), 5-methylcytosine (m5C), inosine, and pseudouridine concurrently across the transcriptome along with all possible RNA modifications using in vitro transcription. We identified 1,697 differentially modified sites (DMSs) across all modifications and found strong enrichment of modifications on known type 2 diabetes (T2D) related genes. These rapid changes in RNA modification levels appear to be independent of changes to gene expression levels. Our study demonstrates how dRNA-seq can be used to detect and quantify RNA modification changes in response to cellular stimuli at the single-nucleotide and single-molecule level and provides new insights into RNA-mediated mechanisms that may contribute to beta cell dysfunction in T2D.
RNA modifications are critical regulators of gene expression and cellular processes. Here, we studied transcriptome-wide changes in RNA modifications and expression levels in two human pancreatic beta cell lines, EndoC-BH1 and EndoC-BH3, after one hour of glucose stimulation. Using direct RNA nanopore sequencing (dRNA-seq), we measured N6-methyladenosine (m6A), 5-methylcytosine (m5C), inosine, and pseudouridine concurrently across the transcriptome along with all possible RNA modifications using in vitro transcription. We identified 1,697 differentially modified sites (DMSs) across all modifications and found strong enrichment of modifications on known type 2 diabetes (T2D) related genes. These rapid changes in RNA modification levels appear to be independent of changes to gene expression levels. Our study demonstrates how dRNA-seq can be used to detect and quantify RNA modification changes in response to cellular stimuli at the single-nucleotide and single-molecule level and provides new insights into RNA-mediated mechanisms that may contribute to beta cell dysfunction in T2D.
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Dr. Leland Taylor, Computational Biologist, National Human Genome Research InstituteGene expression is regulated by transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes, playing key roles in human development and disease. However, challenges remain in identifying full-length sequences of structurally diverse RNAs and their modifications, which occur in a cell-type-specific manner. To address this, we prepared hundreds of high-quality RNA samples across human cells and tissues, and performed cDNA and Direct RNA Nanopore sequencing. Conventional cDNA sequencing often fails to accurately reflect full-length RNAs, making it difficult to determine complete sequences from transcription start to termination sites. Here we developed an improved cDNA preparation method, achieving an average read length of around 3,000 bases in full-length cDNA sequencing. Applying this method to hundreds of human RNA samples, we identified tens of thousands of unannotated isoforms from known loci and thousands of cell-type-specific unannotated loci from intergenic regions, significantly expanding existing gene annotations. Many of these newly identified elements were specific to primates or humans. Furthermore, we used Direct RNA Nanopore sequencing to comprehensively analyze RNA base modifications in various human cell types. This technique enabled the direct, high-resolution detection of RNA modifications, revealing previously unknown modifications. The resulting transcriptome and epitranscriptome atlas across human cell types provides novel insights into human biology, evolution, and disease.
Gene expression is regulated by transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes, playing key roles in human development and disease. However, challenges remain in identifying full-length sequences of structurally diverse RNAs and their modifications, which occur in a cell-type-specific manner. To address this, we prepared hundreds of high-quality RNA samples across human cells and tissues, and performed cDNA and Direct RNA Nanopore sequencing. Conventional cDNA sequencing often fails to accurately reflect full-length RNAs, making it difficult to determine complete sequences from transcription start to termination sites. Here we developed an improved cDNA preparation method, achieving an average read length of around 3,000 bases in full-length cDNA sequencing. Applying this method to hundreds of human RNA samples, we identified tens of thousands of unannotated isoforms from known loci and thousands of cell-type-specific unannotated loci from intergenic regions, significantly expanding existing gene annotations. Many of these newly identified elements were specific to primates or humans. Furthermore, we used Direct RNA Nanopore sequencing to comprehensively analyze RNA base modifications in various human cell types. This technique enabled the direct, high-resolution detection of RNA modifications, revealing previously unknown modifications. The resulting transcriptome and epitranscriptome atlas across human cell types provides novel insights into human biology, evolution, and disease.
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Prof. Yasuhiro Murakawa, Professor, Kyoto University
