Fall 2026 Graduate Student Seminar Series – Hasna H. Kanan

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry presents:

Hasna H. Kanan

M.S. Candidate – Chiu Research Group

Investigating Epitranscriptomic Stability during Cell Culture Experiments using a Glioblastoma Cell Line as a Model

Wednesday, November 4th in Sullivan Science Bldg. Rm. 201, starting at 1:00 PM

Abstract:

RNA modifications, collectively referred as epitranscriptome, play essential roles in regulating gene expression, translation, and other RNA-related cellular activities. Despite growing interest, a major limitation in epitranscriptomic research is the lack of understanding how cell culture conditions and serial passaging impact the stability of RNA modification profiles. This gap of knowledge could potentially lead to the misinterpretation of RNA modification dynamics. 

This study aims to evaluate the stability of RNA modifications across passages in mammalian cell culture, using a glioblastoma-derived DBTRG-05 cell line as a model. In Aim 1, a standardized passaging protocol was established to assess cell growth behavior, morphology, and viability across serial passages in three independent biological replicates with cell pellets kept at each passage for LCMS analysis. In Aim 2, RNA was extracted and digested from the frozen cell pellets and was analyzed using an in-house ultra-performance liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) method. This standard-free quantitative mass spectrometry approach enables accurate quantitative profiling of untargeted RNA modifications without the calibration of each corresponding ribonucleotide standard. This provided a framework for evaluating epitranscriptomic reproducibility across passages. This work may assist in establishing methodological guidelines and to improve the reliability of RNA modifications as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets in cancers, including glioblastoma.