RNA therapeutics have been highly successful in human health and have also been extensively studied in established model organisms, including mice. However, translating these technologies to other organisms presents unique challenges, as differences in physiology, immune responses, molecular machineries and RNA delivery can substantially influence therapeutic efficacy. Furthermore, expanding RNA therapeutics beyond human health will require substantial advances in the scalability and cost-effectiveness of RNA manufacturing.
In this talk, I will discuss the key elements that determine the effectiveness of RNA therapeutics in different model organisms, before exploring what is required to adapt these technologies across species and towards completely novel parts of the phylogenetic tree. I will highlight the work from the RNA Platform NZ to bring these technologies into the hands of animal and plant health researchers and a step closer to application in the field.