Dr. Joseph A. Piccirilli stands as a distinguished scholar in the field of nucleic acid biochemistry with a career spanning over three decades at the forefront of RNA research. He currently serves as Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Chicago, with joint appointments in Chemistry and a distinguished history as an Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute from 1994 to 2009. Joseph Piccirilli was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in 1960, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Scranton in 1982 before pursuing doctoral studies at Harvard University, where he completed his Ph.D. in 1989. Following his doctoral work, he conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Colorado at Boulder as a Howard Hughes Postdoctoral Research Fellow, establishing the foundation for his future investigations into RNA structure and catalytic mechanisms.
Dr. Piccirilli's groundbreaking research has fundamentally advanced our understanding of RNA catalysis and structure, particularly in the mechanisms of RNA splicing and ribozyme function. His laboratory pioneered innovative approaches that integrate organic chemistry, physical chemistry, enzymology, and molecular biology to investigate the catalytic mechanisms of the spliceosome and various ribozymes including the HDV ribozyme. His work on chaperone-assisted RNA crystallography has provided critical insights into RNA structure determination that were previously unattainable through conventional methods. Most recently, his 2024 publication on the structural basis of ligand recognition by the yjdF riboswitch exemplifies his continued leadership in elucidating the intricate molecular mechanisms governing RNA function, building upon his earlier seminal work on artificially expanded genetic systems that demonstrated enzymatic incorporation of novel nucleotide analogs.
Beyond his direct research contributions, Dr. Piccirilli has trained numerous scientists who have gone on to establish independent research programs, thereby expanding the impact of his methodological approaches across the broader scientific community. His laboratory continues to push the boundaries of RNA biochemistry by manipulating nucleic acid structure at precise locations to answer fundamental questions about biological function and catalytic mechanisms. With sustained National Institutes of Health funding spanning multiple decades, including R01 grants focused on RNA splicing and crystallography, his work remains at the cutting edge of nucleic acid research. As the field advances toward therapeutic applications of RNA-based technologies, Dr. Piccirilli's fundamental insights into RNA structure and catalysis continue to provide the essential foundation for future innovations in RNA therapeutics and diagnostics.
