Eric Wang,
Associate Professor
Department:
Molecular Genetics & Microbiology
Business Phone:
(352) 273-7601
Business Email:
eric.t.wang@ufl.edu
About Eric Wang
I’ve always been interested in biological systems, and I entered this field in part because I have family members affected by myotonic dystrophy. Our lab focuses on three main areas: studying the pathogenesis of microsatellite repeat diseases, in particular myotonic dystrophy; studying the basics of how RNA is processed and localized in cells in tissues; and combining insights made in both of those areas to develop treatments for people with these diseases. We use a number of traditional molecular and cell biological approaches, as well as cutting-edge sequencing and computational approaches. A critical tool for us is deep sequencing, which allows us to obtain millions of data points in a single experiment. While we have applied this approach to studying muscle and heart changes in DM patients, we are now studying the central nervous system and trying to connect RNA changes to important symptoms such as sleepiness, fatigue, learning and memory, and executive functioning.
Related Links:
Teaching Profile
Courses Taught
2017-2025
GMS6920 Genetics Journal Colloquy
2019-2025
BMS6003 Genetics and Health
2018
GMS7980 Research for Doctoral Dissertation
2018
GMS7979 Advanced Research
2017
GMS7794 Neuroscience Seminar
2016
EGN4912 Engineering Directed Independent Research
2021
GMS5905 Special Topics in Biomedical Sciences
Research Profile
Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID)
0000-0003-2655-5525
Publications
Academic Articles
2024
Myospreader improves gene editing in skeletal muscle by myonuclear propagation.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
121(19)
[DOI] 10.1073/pnas.2321438121.
[PMID] 38687782.
2023
Alternative Splicing Outcomes Across an RNA-Binding Protein Concentration Gradient.
Journal of molecular biology.
435(15)
[DOI] 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168156.
[PMID] 37230319.
2023
Choroid plexus mis-splicing and altered cerebrospinal fluid composition in myotonic dystrophy type 1.
Brain : a journal of neurology.
146(10):4217-4232
[DOI] 10.1093/brain/awad148.
[PMID] 37143315.
2023
Muscleblind-like proteins use modular domains to localize RNAs by riding kinesins and docking to membranes.
Nature communications.
14(1)
[DOI] 10.1038/s41467-023-38923-6.
[PMID] 37296096.
2023
Myospreader improves gene editing in skeletal muscle by myonuclear propagation.
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology.
[DOI] 10.1101/2023.11.06.565807.
[PMID] 37986992.
2022
Molecular characterization of myotonic dystrophy fibroblast cell lines for use in small molecule screening.
iScience.
25(5)
[DOI] 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104198.
[PMID] 35479399.
2022
Negative autoregulation mitigates collateral RNase activity of repeat-targeting CRISPR-Cas13d in mammalian cells.
Cell reports.
40(7)
[DOI] 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111226.
[PMID] 35977479.
2022
The skeletal muscle circadian clock regulates titin splicing through RBM20.
eLife.
11
[DOI] 10.7554/eLife.76478.
[PMID] 36047761.
2021
Author Correction: Molecular mechanisms underlying nucleotide repeat expansion disorders
Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology.
22(9):644-644
[DOI] 10.1038/s41580-021-00396-0.
2021
Automated Intracellular Pharmacological Electrophysiology for Ligand-Gated Ionotropic Receptor and Pharmacology Screening.
Molecular pharmacology.
100(1):73-82
[DOI] 10.1124/molpharm.120.000195.
[PMID] 33958481.
2021
Goals in tension: motivated by genetic disease yet rooted in basic science.
Nature reviews. Molecular cell biology.
22(9):581-582
[DOI] 10.1038/s41580-021-00395-1.
[PMID] 34183812.
2021
Microtubule-based transport is essential to distribute RNA and nascent protein in skeletal muscle.
Nature communications.
12(1)
[DOI] 10.1038/s41467-021-26383-9.
[PMID] 34707124.
2021
Repeat length increases disease penetrance and severity in C9orf72 ALS/FTD BAC transgenic mice.
Human molecular genetics.
29(24):3900-3918
[DOI] 10.1093/hmg/ddaa279.
[PMID] 33378537.
2021
Transcriptome alterations in myotonic dystrophy frontal cortex.
Cell reports.
34(3)
[DOI] 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108634.
[PMID] 33472074.
2020
RNA structure probing to characterize RNA-protein interactions on a low abundance pre-mRNA in living cells.
RNA (New York, N.Y.).
27(3):343-58
[DOI] 10.1261/rna.077263.120.
[PMID] 33310817.
2020
Sleep disorders in myotonic dystrophies.
Muscle & nerve.
62(3):309-320
[DOI] 10.1002/mus.26866.
[PMID] 32212331.
2020
Small-molecule targeted recruitment of a nuclease to cleave an oncogenic RNA in a mouse model of metastatic cancer.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
117(5):2406-2411
[DOI] 10.1073/pnas.1914286117.
[PMID] 31964809.
2020
Structure-Specific Cleavage of an RNA Repeat Expansion with a Dimeric Small Molecule Is Advantageous over Sequence-Specific Recognition by an Oligonucleotide.
ACS chemical biology.
15(2):485-493
[DOI] 10.1021/acschembio.9b00958.
[PMID] 31927948.
2020
Transcriptome-wide organization of subcellular microenvironments revealed by ATLAS-Seq.
Nucleic acids research.
48(11):5859-5872
[DOI] 10.1093/nar/gkaa334.
[PMID] 32421779.
2019
A CTG repeat-selective chemical screen identifies microtubule inhibitors as selective modulators of toxic CUG RNA levels.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
116(42):20991-21000
[DOI] 10.1073/pnas.1901893116.
[PMID] 31570586.
2019
Cell-type-specific dysregulation of RNA alternative splicing in short tandem repeat mouse knockin models of myotonic dystrophy.
Genes & development.
33(23-24):1635-1640
[DOI] 10.1101/gad.328963.119.
[PMID] 31624084.
2019
Culturing C2C12 myotubes on micromolded gelatin hydrogels accelerates myotube maturation.
Skeletal muscle.
9(1)
[DOI] 10.1186/s13395-019-0203-4.
[PMID] 31174599.
2019
Precise small-molecule cleavage of an r(CUG) repeat expansion in a myotonic dystrophy mouse model.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
116(16):7799-7804
[DOI] 10.1073/pnas.1901484116.
[PMID] 30926669.
2019
The myotonic dystrophy experience: a North American cross-sectional study.
Muscle & nerve.
59(4):457-464
[DOI] 10.1002/mus.26420.
[PMID] 30677147.
2018
An engineered RNA binding protein with improved splicing regulation.
Nucleic acids research.
46(6):3152-3168
[DOI] 10.1093/nar/gkx1304.
[PMID] 29309648.
2018
SCA8 RAN polySer protein preferentially accumulates in white matter regions and is regulated by eIF3F.
The EMBO journal.
37(19)
[DOI] 10.15252/embj.201899023.
[PMID] 30206144.
2017
A Defective mRNA Cleavage and Polyadenylation Complex Facilitates Expansions of Transcribed (GAA)n Repeats Associated with Friedreich’s Ataxia.
Cell reports.
20(10):2490-2500
[DOI] 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.08.051.
[PMID] 28877480.
2017
A flow cytometry-based screen identifies MBNL1 modulators that rescue splicing defects in myotonic dystrophy type I.
Human molecular genetics.
26(16):3056-3068
[DOI] 10.1093/hmg/ddx190.
[PMID] 28535287.
2017
Antisense transcription of the myotonic dystrophy locus yields low-abundant RNAs with and without (CAG)n repeat.
RNA biology.
14(10):1374-1388
[DOI] 10.1080/15476286.2017.1279787.
[PMID] 28102759.
2017
Barcoded nanoparticles for high throughput in vivo discovery of targeted therapeutics.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
114(8):2060-2065
[DOI] 10.1073/pnas.1620874114.
[PMID] 28167778.
2017
Disrupted prenatal RNA processing and myogenesis in congenital myotonic dystrophy.
Genes & development.
31(11):1122-1133
[DOI] 10.1101/gad.300590.117.
[PMID] 28698297.
2017
Impeding Transcription of Expanded Microsatellite Repeats by Deactivated Cas9.
Molecular cell.
68(3):479-490.e5
[DOI] 10.1016/j.molcel.2017.09.033.
[PMID] 29056323.
2016
Conservation of context-dependent splicing activity in distant Muscleblind homologs.
Nucleic acids research.
44(17):8352-62
[DOI] 10.1093/nar/gkw735.
[PMID] 27557707.
2016
Distal Alternative Last Exons Localize mRNAs to Neural Projections.
Molecular cell.
61(6):821-33
[DOI] 10.1016/j.molcel.2016.01.020.
[PMID] 26907613.
2016
Dose-Dependent Regulation of Alternative Splicing by MBNL Proteins Reveals Biomarkers for Myotonic Dystrophy.
PLoS genetics.
12(9)
[DOI] 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006316.
[PMID] 27681373.
2016
Dysregulation of mRNA Localization and Translation in Genetic Disease.
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience.
36(45):11418-11426
[PMID] 27911744.
Grants
Nov 2024
ACTIVE
Discovery of Proteomics-Based Spliceopathy Biomarkers in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: ALNYLAM PHARMACEUTICALS
Oct 2024
ACTIVE
Testing oligonucleotide conjugates for HD
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: ENTRADA THERAPEUTICS
Sep 2024
ACTIVE
Technologies to enable safe and effective gene editing in skeletal muscle
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NIAMS
Sep 2024
ACTIVE
Shortening GAA repeats in Friedreich's Ataxia
Role: Other
Funding: FRIEDREICHS ATAXIA RESEARCH ALLIANCE
Aug 2024
ACTIVE
Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center
Role: Faculty
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NINDS
May 2024
ACTIVE
Foundational Studies to Understand Phenotypic, Region-Specific, and Cell-Specific Dysregulation in the Myotonic Dystrophy Central Nervous System
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: US ARMY MED RES ACQUISITION
Mar 2024
ACTIVE
Probing circadian/sleep biology using temporal genetic switches
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: CHAN ZUCKERBERG INITIATIVE FOUNDATION
Mar 2024
ACTIVE
Probing sleep biology using temporal genetic switches (CP-2-1-Esser)
Role: Co-Project Director/Principal Investigator
Funding: CHAN ZUCKERBERG INITIATIVE FOUNDATION
Feb 2024
ACTIVE
Testing of an Oligonucleotide therapeutics approach to address the underlying cause of myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2).
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: ENTRADA THERAPEUTICS
Jan 2024
ACTIVE
Leveraging CRISPR/Cas-based Epigenetic Modifications for the Treatment of Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1
Role: Other
Funding: MYOTONIC DYSTROPHY FOU
Dec 2023
ACTIVE
Smarter gene therapies: alternative splicing cassettes for tissue-and self-regulated cargo expression
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NINDS
Sep 2023
ACTIVE
Development of Clinical Candidates for the Treatment of Myotonic Dystrophy
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding: US ARMY MED RES ACQUISITION
Sep 2023
– Aug 2024
Develop small molecule-regulatable cassettes to produce Cas proteins
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: KATE THERAPEUTICS
Aug 2023
ACTIVE
Investigating the Impact of mHTT on mRNA Trafficking and the Synaptic Transcriptome
Role: Other
Funding: HEREDITARY DISEASE FOU
Jun 2023
ACTIVE
Measurement of Frataxin mRNA in NHP and human biofluids
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: FRIEDREICHS ATAXIA RESEARCH ALLIANCE
Apr 2023
ACTIVE
Circadian Rhythm Disturbances in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: VA COMMONWEALTH UNIV
via VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS
Jan 2023
– Dec 2024
CRISPR/Cas9-nickase approaches to shrinking expanded CTG-repeats in Myotonic Dystrophy
Role: Other
Funding: MYOTONIC DYSTROPHY FOU
Oct 2022
– Sep 2023
SRA #2 – Gene therapies for neuromuscular disease
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: KATE THERAPEUTICS
Oct 2022
– May 2023
Biological and Therapeutic Consequences of RNA Dysregulation in Cancer Immune Evasion
Role: Other
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NCI
Feb 2022
ACTIVE
Contributions of tau-mediated translational dysregulation to pathogenesis and progression of fronto-temporal dementia
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NIA
Jan 2022
– Dec 2023
Investigation the contribution of circadian disruption in DM-associated sleep disorders
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: MYOTONIC DYSTROPHY FOU
Oct 2021
– Sep 2022
Gene Therapies for Neuromuscular Disorders
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: KATE THERAPEUTICS
Mar 2021
– Jan 2023
Evaluation of peptide-oligonucleotide conjugates for myotonic dystrophy
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: ENTRADA THERAPEUTICS
Jan 2021
– May 2021
2021 Southeastern Translational Cell Biology Symposium
Role: Other
Funding: CHAN ZUCKERBERG INITIATIVE
Sep 2020
– Jun 2023
Identifying and understanding the role of repeat RNAs and RAN proteins in Alzheimer's disease
Role: Other
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NIA
Aug 2020
– Jun 2024
Development of MRI, Alternative Splicing, and Functional Abilities as Biomarkers in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NIAMS
Feb 2020
ACTIVE
Mechanism and function of MBNL mediated mRNA localization in neuronal development and neurologic disease
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: EMORY UNIV
via NATL INST OF HLTH NINDS
Oct 2019
– Apr 2021
Distinguished Lectures in Neurodegeneration and Developing Therapies
Role: Other
Funding: SILICON VALLEY COMMUNITY FOU
Sep 2019
– Aug 2022
Design and Study of Small Molecules that Cleave the RNA that Causes Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1)
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: US ARMY MED RES ACQUISITION
Jul 2019
ACTIVE
RNA Processing-Mediated Mechanisms of CNS Dysfunction in Myotonic Dystrophy
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NINDS
Feb 2019
– Dec 2023
Impeding transcription of expanded microsatellite repeats using deactivated Cas9
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NIA
Jan 2019
– Apr 2021
Transcriptome studies to identify biomarkers in myotonic dystrophy blood and fibroblasts
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: UNIVERSITY OF COSTA RICA
via THE FRENCH MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY ASSO (AFM)
Jan 2019
– Dec 2020
Engineering Synthetic RNA Binding Proteins to Probe the Mechanisms of Myotonic Dystrophy and Development of Potential New Therapeutics
Role: Other
Funding: MYOTONIC DYSTROPHY FOU
Dec 2018
– Nov 2023
Gridlock in the nervous system altered RNA localization and local translation in neurodegeneration (NDCN ECA)
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: SILICON VALLEY COMMUNITY FOU
Sep 2018
– Aug 2024
Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center
Role: Faculty
Funding: UNIV OF ROCHESTER
via NATL INST OF HLTH NINDS
Sep 2018
– Aug 2023
Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center (Project 3 Preclinical Model and Therapies for DM2).
Role: Co-Project Director/Principal Investigator
Funding: UNIV OF ROCHESTER
via NATL INST OF HLTH NINDS
Sep 2018
– Aug 2023
Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular dystrophy Speciallzed Research Center (Project 2 Disease Progress and Biomarkers)
Role: Co-Project Director/Principal Investigator
Funding: UNIV OF ROCHESTER
via NATL INST OF HLTH NINDS
Aug 2018
– Jul 2021
Mechanisms of CNS Dysfunction in Myotonic Dystrophy (MDA578154)
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY ASSO
May 2018
– May 2021
Transcriptome studies to enable drug development for repeat expansion diseases
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: EXPANSION THERAPEUTICS
Feb 2018
– Feb 2020
Therapeutic potential of CRISPR-Cas9 in C9ORF72-repeat deletion strategy in C9ORF72 BAC transgenic mice
Role: Faculty
Funding: CRISPR THERAPEUTICS AG
Sep 2017
– Aug 2023
FoxO signaling and skeletal muscle atrophy
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NIAMS
Aug 2017
– Apr 2022
Determining the factors that control dose-dependent splicing regulation by a master regulator
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NIGMS
Jun 2017
– Nov 2019
OR-DRPD-ROF2017: Advanced microfabricated co-culture devices to study the neuromuscular system
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: UF DSR OPPORTUNITY FUND
May 2017
– Dec 2020
Therapeutic potential of CRISPR-Cas9 in C9ORF72 ALS/FTD-repeat deletion and transcriptional repression strategies in humanized C9ORF72 BAC transgenic mice
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: TARGET ALS FOUNDATION
via CRISPR THERAPEUTICS AG
Apr 2016
– Mar 2018
PROFILING THE MYOTONIC DYSTROPHY BRAIN TRANSCRIPTOME
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: UF FOUNDATION
Sep 2015
– Aug 2019
Ppst-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in neuromuscular disease
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH OD
Education
PhD
2006-2013
·
Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology
BA Biochemistry
2000-2004
·
Harvard College
Contact Details
Phones:
- Business:
- (352) 273-7601
Emails:
- Business:
- eric.t.wang@ufl.edu
Addresses:
- Business Mailing:
-
PO Box 100266
GAINESVILLE FL 32610 - Business Street:
-
2033 MOWRY RD RM 204
GAINESVILLE FL 32610