Adrienne Vancura

Dr. Adrienne Vancura is the Science Projects Manager at the Arizona Astrobiology Center, driven by a deep passion for RNA molecules. Her research journey has taken her across the globe, from investigating how RNAs rearrange genomes in unicellular organisms in Bern, Switzerland, to capturing RNA in bodily fluids as disease biomarkers in Amsterdam. 

At Harvard, she explored RNA-targeted cancer therapies, before delving into the biophysical properties of protein-RNA interactions at MIT. But RNA’s significance extends far beyond modern biochemistry—it is also believed to have played a key role in the origins of life on Earth. How do RNA building blocks form in outer space, and how do they assemble into long nucleotide chains? What enables a naked, single-stranded RNA to infect potato plants and replicate itself? What secrets lie within the aromatic rings found both in the cosmos and in our brains? 

At the University of Arizona, Dr. Vancura aims to tackle these fascinating questions alongside students and faculty. Through grant writing, the introduction of new model organisms, and the development of cutting-edge lab experiments, she hopes to push the boundaries of astrobiology and RNA research.