We already know DNA – now it’s time for RNA. The key role of Polish scientists in the Human RNome Project
The Human RNome Project is a global initiative aimed at fully characterizing the sequences of all human RNA molecules. The project will benefit from a key contribution by scientists from the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB).
The international research endeavor known as the Human RNome Project seeks to determine the sequences of all RNA molecules in human cells and to map the positions of naturally occurring chemical modifications in RNA. Databases will also be created to make this information accessible to researchers worldwide.
Developing a detailed map of human RNA sequences and their modifications may represent a milestone comparable to the sequencing of the human genome between 1990 and 2003. The results obtained will enable a more complete understanding of how RNA molecules function in human cells, revolutionizing our knowledge of RNA biology. This will also accelerate breakthrough discoveries in biotechnology, medicine, and sustainable agriculture, as well as in future-oriented technologies such as RNA-based data storage.
Photo.: Members of the Human RNome Project Consortium celebrating the 20th anniversary of the MODOMICS database during the HPRC workshop at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, August 5th, 2025. Prof. Janusz Bujnicki in the bottom row, sixth from the left. Fifth from the left Prof. Stefanie Kaiser (Goethe University, Germany), fifth from the right Prof. Vivian Cheung (Brown University, USA) – corresponding authors of the article in Genome Biology. Photo courtesy of the HPRC.
Among the initiators and active participants of the project is the team of Prof. Janusz Bujnicki from the Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering at IIMCB. The group plays a key role in the project through its proprietary MODOMICS database – the world’s most comprehensive collection of information on RNA modifications. Developed for over 20 years, this database has become one of the key tools for researchers studying RNA modifications and for the international consortium of researchers involved in the Human RNome Project. In addition, Prof. Bujnicki’s team is contributing to the development of computational methods for modelling the effect of chemical modifications on RNA structure and function. This will support the project’s goal of linking molecular details with organismal functions. Researchers from Warsaw will collaborate with centers in the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, and Singapore, among others, on this project. Over the course of a year, this international consortium has grown from a dozen founding members to over 100 members from more than 20 countries.
“The Human RNome Project marks a new chapter in RNA research. For our team and for IIMCB, it is an honor to participate in building the foundations of this international initiative,” said Prof. Janusz Bujnicki.
The official launch of the Human RNome Project was announced in a scientific article published in the renowned journal Genome Biology. The publication is available here: Genome Biology – The Human RNome Project
The following link provides access to the Human RNome Project Consortium website, where interested parties have the option of joining the consortium: https://humanrnomeproject.org/
