Brittany Elliott

My research focuses on advancing RNA-based therapeutics and understanding the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in disease. I am particularly passionate about translational research—bridging the gap between bench and bedside—by targeting RNAs and engineering RNA-based therapies to treat inflammatory and rare diseases.

I am also deeply interested in deciphering the mechanisms by which small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) influence disease states. My current projects include exploring how RPL13a snoRNAs regulate oxidative stress, and metabolic inflammation, with the ultimate goal of developing first-in-class antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapeutics. I am also working on predicting, capturing, and validating novel snoRNA interactions with transcripts that could inform on their unknown functions, expanding our understanding of snoRNA biology and their potential roles in health and disease. I further aspire to expand on detection of non-coding RNAs in clinical samples and linking them to disease progression, enabling more precise diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Through these activities, I strive to uncover how RNA-targeting therapies can address unmet clinical needs, particularly in diseases such as atherosclerosis, chronic inflammatory disease, and others. As a scientist, I am driven by the opportunity to connect fundamental discoveries with clinical applications, and I value fostering collaboration and mentoring the next generation of researchers in RNA biology and therapeutics.

Education:

PhD     University of South Carolina School of Medicine     2012

Training:

Postdoctoral Fellow     Medical University of South Carolina     2013-2015
Postdoctoral Fellow     Duke University                                          2016-2020