Anna M. Kietrys

Anna M. Kietrys is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University. Her research focuses on bioorganic and chemical biology, particularly in the areas of RNA structure and function, epitranscriptomics, RNA signaling, and ageing and neurodegeneration. She applies chemical, biochemical, and bioinformatics tools to study RNA-mediated cell signaling in neurodegeneration. Her work explores the dynamics of RNA structure in the context of modified nucleotides and the function of RNA as an information carrier in intra- and extra-cellular signaling during disease progression. She is also involved in teaching courses in Bioorganic Chemistry and Toxicology, which bridge chemistry and biology to address biological problems through organic chemistry techniques.

Anna M. Kietrys is a researcher in chemical biology, focusing on the development of chemical tools to study and manipulate RNA and DNA. Her work explores the structural and functional effects of base modifications in RNA and DNA, including the design of reversible acylation strategies for RNA control and gene editing. She has investigated the role of modified RNA bases in deep sequencing profiles and their impact on RNA processing. Additionally, her research includes the development of inhibitors for DNA repair enzymes and the study of oxidative DNA damage. Kietrys has also explored the interactions of protein-targeted drugs with the transcriptome and the use of carbon dot mimics for DNA-based applications.