Episode 15: Ryan Flynn

Ryan Flynn: The Wonderful World of GlycoRNA

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Substack, and YouTube

Ryan Flynn is pioneering a brand new field of biology. His seminal discovery of glycosylated RNA (glycoRNA) in 2021 reimagined the way we think about the cell surface and intercell communication. The discovery of glycoRNA revealed that cells intentionally express RNA on their surfaces and these RNAs interact powerfully with the immune system with potential implications in autoimmune disease and cancer immunology. Some of Ryan’s early work in these areas was adopted by Orna Therapeutics which was ultimately acquired by Eli Lilly for $2.4 billion.

Ryan is no stranger to the wonderful world of RNA. He began his scientific career as an undergraduate at MIT in the lab of Nobel Prize laureate Phil Sharp, who won the prize for his work on RNA splicing. Ryan went on to complete an MD and PhD at Stanford in the lab of renowned RNA biologist Howard Chang, the discoverer of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) before receiving post doc training from Carolyn Bertozi known for her Nobel prize winning work on bioorthogonal chemistry. Now, Ryan is spearheading the glycoRNA field as a member of the Boston Children’s Hospital Stem Cell Institute at Harvard.

In this episode:

• Ryan talks about his upbringing and his families background in medicine as well as his path from medical school to academia

• Ryan explains his fascination with RNA as the molecule of life

• Ryan walks us through how he discovered glycoRNA

• Ryan touches on his translational work and his philosophy on the interaction between academia and industry

• Ryan talks about his approach toward challenges in science and in life

This episode was hosted, edited, and produced by Tanner Baldwin with help from Fang Xie.