The major goal of research in the Singh lab is to understand how nuclear RNA processing shapes the composition and structure of messenger RNA-containing ribonucleoproteins (mRNPs) to eventually control mRNA fate in human cells. Current projects revolve around the exon junction complex (EJC), a stable mRNP component deposited on mRNA exon-exon junctions during pre-mRNA splicing. We employ an interdisciplinary approach that combines biochemical and cellular methodologies with quantitative high-throughput sequencing and proteomic technologies to investigate how nucleus-deposited EJC connects with cytoplasmic translation and mRNA degradation machineries. In collaboration with Dr. Sharon Amacher’s lab (Molecular Genetics, OSU), we are also developing zebrafish as a model system to study EJC functions during development.