357 | Jeff Coller on mRNA, Vaccines, and Bespoke Therapeutics

<div class="fl-col-group fl-node-aj10yc3lx2zq fl-col-group-nested"> <div class="fl-col fl-node-imuf4to7sjr6 fl-col-bg-color"> <div class="fl-col-content fl-node-content"> <div class="fl-module fl-module-rich-text fl-node-on1ed0vcpya3"> <div class="fl-module-content fl-node-content"> <div class="fl-rich-text"> <p>Messenger RNA (mRNA) plays a literally central role in the functioning of life as we know it, shuttling information back and forth between the DNA where it is stored to the ribosome where it is used to produce proteins. RNA may even have been the first molecule to kick-start the origin of life. Today, scientists are learning how to manipulate mRNA to cure and prevent diseases, whether through vaccination or literally editing one's DNA. Jeff Coller explains how it all works and how mRNA is revolutionizing medicine as we know it.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="fl-col fl-node-puxth9630e1q fl-col-bg-color fl-col-small"> <div class="fl-col-content fl-node-content"> <div class="fl-module fl-module-image-icon fl-node-fvoezm0j2w6h"> <div class="fl-module-content fl-node-content"> <div class="uabb-module-content uabb-imgicon-wrap"> <div class="uabb-image uabb-image-crop-square"> <div class="uabb-image-content">Blog post with transcript: <a href="https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2026/06/15/357-jeff-coller-on-mrna-vaccines-and-bespoke-therapeutics/"> https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2026/06/15/357-jeff-coller-on-mrna-vaccines-and-bespoke-therapeutics/</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="fl-module fl-module-rich-text fl-node-tpmbz4xlrqay"> <div class="fl-module-content fl-node-content"> <div class="fl-rich-text"> <p><em>Support Mindscape on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/seanmcarroll" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Patreon</a>.</em></p> <p>Jeff Coller received his Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is currently Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Director of the RNA Innovation Center at Johns Hopkins University. He is co-founder of Tevard Biosciences and the Alliance for mRNA Medicines, and leads the REPAIRx consortium. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.</p> <ul> <li><a href="http://collerlab.org/">Web site</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.bme.jhu.edu/people/faculty/jeff-coller/">Johns Hopkins web page</a></li> <li><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=wSJc28sAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Google Scholar publications</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/09/opinion/genetic-editing-diseases-health-care.html"> "This May Be the Most Important Medical Story of the Decade," <em>New York Times, </em>April 9, 2026</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>