Professor Dr. Wesley Cochrane

Biography

Wesley Cochrane is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Purdue University. His research focuses on the diverse roles of RNA in biological processes, including gene expression regulation, metabolite sensing, and catalysis, as well as its involvement in cell-cell communication. His recent work has highlighted the targeting of specific RNA structures through small molecules to influence various biological contexts linked to diseases. Cochrane's lab is engaged in developing innovative chemical technologies aimed at identifying and ameliorating RNA-related diseases. His expertise encompasses RNA biochemistry, functional selections, high-throughput experimentation, and bio-cheminformatics, among others. He actively recruits students to work on projects relating to high-throughput experimentation for RNA drugs, combinatorial diversification of RNA ligands, and the engineering of synthetic RNA expression systems. Cochrane's academic background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara, a PhD in Chemistry from Scripps Research, and postdoctoral work in RNA biochemistry at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

Research Interests