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Welcome to the Rouhanifard Lab!

At the Rouhanifard Lab, we illuminate the hidden layers of cellular regulation—combining epitranscriptomics with pioneering chemical biology—to understand how molecular modifications drive health and disease. Our team forges new methods and discoveries that shape the future of biology and medicine. If you’re passionate about pushing scientific frontiers, inventing new chemical tools, and decoding the cell’s molecular language, we want to hear from you! Contact: s.rouhanifard@northeastern.edu

Our Vision

  • Decode the Epitranscriptome. Map and functionally characterize RNA modifications (e.g., pseudouridine, dihydrouridine, m⁶A) at single-molecule and single-cell resolution.

  • Engineer Live-Cell Biosensors. Develop click-chemistry–based probes to detect nascent proteins, metabolites, and RNA modifications in living cells—capturing biomolecular dynamics in real time.

  • Integrate Chemistry & Computation. Fuse mass spectrometry, live-cell imaging, bespoke chemical tags, and machine learning to reveal how chemical marks on RNA and proteins orchestrate translation, splicing, and cell-fate decisions.

  • Translate to Therapeutics. Identify novel biomarkers and targets in cancer, neurodegeneration, and beyond—paving paths toward precision diagnostics and interventions.

Research Focus

  1. Epitranscriptome Profiling

    • Nanopore direct RNA sequencing + custom algorithms (Mod-p ID) for transcriptome-wide modification maps

    • Single-cell resolution studies to uncover cell-type–specific RNA modification signatures

  2. Chemical Biology Tool Development

    • Click-chemistry tags for live-cell tracking of nascent translation, protein modifications, and small-molecule interactions

    • InCu-click™ platform: minimally invasive metabolic labeling for real-time visualization of biomolecules in complex environments

Why Join Us?

  • Collaborative, Interdisciplinary Team. Work side-by-side with molecular biologists, chemists, and data scientists in an open, supportive lab culture.

  • Cutting-Edge Infrastructure. Full access to high-throughput sequencers, advanced mass spectrometers, advanced microscopy, and a computational cluster at Northeastern University.

  • Career & Leadership Development. Participate in grant-writing workshops, mentorship programs, and present at international conferences—our alumni thrive in academia and industry.

 

 

Sara.rouhanifard@gmail.com