The Future of Everything The future of ribosomes
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Dec 5, 2025 Maria Barna, a Stanford genetics professor and ribosome expert, dives into the fascinating world of these ancient molecular machines. She reveals the incredible variety of ribosomes within cells, each tailored for specific tasks. Barna explores how malfunctioning ribosomes contribute to diseases like cancer, neurodegeneration, and COVID-19. With an ambitious vision, she discusses the potential for engineering ribosomes to treat various disorders and emphasizes the need for innovative methods to study and manipulate these critical components of life.
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Ribosome As The Core Executor
- Ribosomes implement the RNA-to-protein link of the central dogma and execute genomic information.
- Maria Barna argues ribosomes are the molecular machines that literally decode the genome into proteins.
Ribosome Predates Proteins And DNA
- The ribosome's catalytic core is RNA-based and likely predates DNA and proteins in evolution.
- Maria Barna frames the ribosome as an ancient RNA machine central to the origin of life.
Ribosomes Dominate Cellular Resources
- A typical cell contains millions of ribosomes and devotes massive energy to making them.
- Maria Barna says 60% of cellular energy goes into making ribosomal RNA and 20% of the proteome builds the ribosome.