About TaRGeT group - TaRGeT group

Therapy and RNA group Gent

Our mission is to understand and modulate non-coding RNA elements in the human retina to improve vision in inherited blindness.

The Therapy and RNA group Gent (TaRGeT) aims to identify and explore novel non-coding targets for gene therapy in the field of rare diseases, using inherited blindness as a proof of concept. Inherited blindness or inherited retinal disease (IRD) is a major cause of vision loss, affecting over 2 million people worldwide. Given the unique enclosed and immune-privileged nature of the eye, IRD is at the forefront of gene therapy development.

TaRGeT aims to identify novel non-coding targets for gene therapy, shifting focus from DNA to RNA cis-regulatory elements.

We are particularly interested in the role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and cis-regulatory elements located in the 5’ untranslated region (5’UTR). LncRNAs are fascinating non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression at the right time and place, whereas 5’ UTRs are major determinants of post-transcriptional control and translation efficiency. Given the often tissue- and even species-specific function of these elements, we make use of human retinal models including adult post-mortem retina and retinal organoids for identification and functional validation.

In a second research line, we aim to develop new antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) directed against both coding and non-coding targets. ASOs are short, chemically modified oligonucleotides that act at the RNA level and are designed to modulate gene expression. TaRGeT investigates various ASO mechanisms, including RNAse-H1 based mRNA degradation and splice modulation.

We are embedded in the Center for Medical Genetics Ghent and the Ghent University Department of Biomolecular Medicine. In addition, we are part of the European Retinal Disease Consortium (ERDC), two European Doctoral Networks (ProgRET and EFFecT), and the local RARE-MED and GATE consortia.