RNA at the Frontiers Symposium
RNA at the Frontiers: A Symposium Celebrating 50 Years of the Cech Lab
May 20 - 23, 2027 at the University of Colorado Boulder
With discoveries ranging from ribozymes to mRNA vaccines and CRISPR gene editing, we’re living in the Century of RNA.
This Symposium will convene Cech Lab alumni from around the world who have contributed to these discoveries, and their reflections will be shared with the broad CU Boulder community.
We thank the BioFrontiers Institute for hosting RNA at the Frontiers.
Dr. Biliang Zhang
This symposium was made possible by the generosity of Dr. Biliang Zhang and family & Tom and Diann Mann.
Tom and Diann Mann
Speakers
Speakers will be chosen from registrants. Check back here for a list of speakers and links to their bios.
All Confirmed Participants
Click here to see all registered attendees and to read their reflections on their time in the Cech Lab and subsequent career paths.
Click here to be redirected to the symposium registration site and to learn more about travel and logistics.
Morning
8:00 – 9:00
Pick up name badges
Morning Session 1
9:00
Welcome Remarks
9:15 – 9:35
Speaker 1 (Affiliation)
"Title"
9:35 – 9:55
Speaker 2 (Affiliation)
"Title"
9:55 – 10:15
Speaker 3 (Affiliation)
"Title"
Break
Morning Session 2
10:45 – 11:20
Panel
Cech Lab in the 1970s
11:20 – 11:35
Speaker 1 (Affiliation)
"Title"
11:35 – 11:55
Speaker 2 (Affiliation)
"Title"
11:55 – 12:15
Speaker 3 (Affiliation)
"Title"
Afternoon
Lunch
12:30 – 2:00
Lunch served to all registrants
Afternoon Session 1
2:00 – 2:40
Panel
Cech Lab in the 1980s
2:40 – 3:00
Speaker 1 (Affiliation)
"Title"
3:00 – 3:20
Speaker 2 (Affiliation)
"Title"
3:20 – 3:40
Speaker 3 (Affiliation)
"Title"
Break
Afternoon Session 2
4:15 – 5:00
Panel
Cech Lab in the 1990s
Morning
Morning Session 1
9:00 – 9:20
Speaker 1 (Affiliation)
"Title"
9:20 – 9:40
Speaker 2 (Affiliation)
"Title"
9:40 – 10:00
Speaker 3 (Affiliation)
"Title"
10:00 – 10:20
Speaker 4 (Affiliation)
"Title"
Break
Morning Session 2
10:50 – 11:30
Panel
Cech Lab in the 2000s
11:30 – 11:50
Speaker 1 (Affiliation)
"Title"
11:50 – 12:10
Speaker 2 (Affiliation)
"Title"
12:10 – 12:30
Speaker 3 (Affiliation)
"Title"
Afternoon
Lunch
12:30 – 2:00
Lunch served to all registrants
Afternoon Session 1
2:00 – 2:20
Speaker 1 (Affiliation)
"Title"
2:20 – 2:40
Speaker 2 (Affiliation)
"Title"
2:40 – 3:00
Speaker 3 (Affiliation)
"Title"
3:00 – 3:40
Panel
Cech Lab 2010 - Present
Break
Afternoon Session 2
4:15 – 4:35
Speaker 1 (Affiliation)
"Title"
4:35 – 4:55
Speaker 2 (Affiliation)
"Title"
4:55 – 5:15
Speaker 3 (Affiliation)
"Title"
5:15
Closing Remarks
Digital Symposium Book pdf will be available for download here.
Boulder Activities
Walk along the Boulder Creek Path. This multi-use path is adjacent to both main and East campuses and follows Boulder Creek from the mouth of Boulder Canyon through downtown and to the east part of Boulder.
Hike in Chautauqua Park and the Flatirons (can be walked to from main campus by following Baseline Ave). There are many trails of varying degrees of difficulty originating here as well as a historic dining hall, auditorium, cottages, and lawn/picnic area.
Explore main campus with a self-guided tour. Coffee available in many buildings, including ATLAS, the Engineering Center, Norlin Library, the University Memorial Center, and Center for Community (C4C).