Personal profile
Personal profile
Dr. Kristopher Brannan is an Assistant Professor and CPRIT Scholar in the Center for RNA Therapeutics and Houston Methodist Cancer Center at the Houston Methodist Research Institute. He received his B.A. degree in molecular, cellular and developmental biology at the University of Colorado Boulder, and his Ph.D. in molecular biology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California San Diego and joined the faculty at the Houston Methodist Research Institute in 2021. His work is focused on RNA-protein interactions that regulate gene expression programs disrupted in cancer and neurological disease.
Research interests
We utilize innovative molecular and computational approaches to:
-Explore the functional RNA binding activity of the nucleocytoplasmic transport (NCT) machinery disrupted in neurodegeneration.
-Map the RNA-protein interaction networks that drive breast cancer progression and plasticity.
-Evaluate RNA-based therapeutics in cell-line models, animal models, and patient tissues.
External positions
Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology in Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine
Jan 1 2023 → …
Research Area Keywords
- Heart & Vascular
- Cancer
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Single-cell and isoform-specific translational profiling of the mouse brain
Sison, S. L., Zampa, F., Kofman, E. R., Choi, S. Y., Jagannatha, P., Nguyen, G. G., Naritomi, J. T., Shin, A., Khorgade, A., Jin, W., Chen, C. Y., Sievert, D. M., Mukhopadhyay, S., Mizrahi, O., Blue, S. M., Marina, R. J., Yang, D., Wang, C. C., Pang, Z. & Brannan, K. W. & 4 others, , Apr 23 2026, In: Nature. 652, 8111, p. 965-977 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
A visual–omics foundation model to bridge histopathology with spatial transcriptomics
Chen, W., Zhang, P., Tran, T. N., Xiao, Y., Li, S., Shah, V. V., Cheng, H., Brannan, K. W., Youker, K., Lai, L., Fang, L., Yang, Y., Le, N. T., Abe, J. I., Chen, S. H., Ma, Q., Chen, K., Song, Q., Cooke, J. P. & Wang, G., Jul 2025, In: Nature Methods. 22, 7, p. 1568-1582 15 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access42 Link opens in a new tab Scopus citations -
Telomerase mRNA Reduces Radiation-induced DNA Damage of human skin
Chang, D. F., Li, S., Court Pinto, K., Nguyen, T. K. C., Shah, V. V., Morales, E., Carrier, J., Ludlow, A. T., Brannan, K. W., Spiegel, A. J., Davis, O., Godin, B., Mojiri, A. & Cooke, J. P., Feb 3 2025, (Unpublished) (bioRxiv).Research output: Working paper › Preprint
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Telomerase mRNA therapy protects human skin against radiation-induced DNA damage
Li, S., Chang, D. F., Court, K. A., Nguyen, T. K. C., Shah, V. V., Morales, E., Carrier, J., Tiwari, A., Ludlow, A. T., Brannan, K. W., Spiegel, A. J., Rahimi, M., Friedman, J. D., Olmsted-Davis, E., Godin, B., Mojiri, A. & Cooke, J. P., Sep 16 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Molecular Therapy. 34, 1, p. 330-347 18 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Link opens in a new tab Scopus citations -
Large-scale map of RNA-binding protein interactomes across the mRNA life cycle
Street, L. A., Rothamel, K. L., Brannan, K. W., Jin, W., Bokor, B. J., Dong, K., Rhine, K., Madrigal, A., Al-Azzam, N., Kim, J. K., Ma, Y., Gorhe, D., Abdou, A., Wolin, E., Mizrahi, O., Ahdout, J., Mujumdar, M., Doron-Mandel, E., Jovanovic, M. & Yeo, G. W., Oct 3 2024, In: Molecular Cell. 84, 19, p. 3790-3809.e8Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access22 Link opens in a new tab Scopus citations
Prizes
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Presidential Award - Excellence in Research
Cooke, J. P. (Recipient), Brannan, K. W. (Recipient), Kiss, D. L. (Recipient), Gollihar, J. D. (Recipient) & Taraballi, F. (Recipient), Feb 29 2024
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)