Skip to main content
Welcome to the University of Lethbridge
  • Library
  • Directory
  • Intranet
  • MyExperience
  • Webmail
  • Bridge
  • Moodle
Study here Give
Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute
Close
  • Members and Expertise
    • Meet the Members
    • About ARRTI
    • Recent News
  • Research and Resources
    • Research Interests
    • Facilities
    • SynBridge Maker Space
    • RNA Bioengineering and Innovation Network
  • Student Involvement
    • Trainee Representatives
    • Job Opportunities
    • Alumni
  • Events and Conferences
    • ARRTI Speaker Series
  • Contact Us
  • Library
  • Directory
  • Intranet
  • MyExperience
  • Webmail
  • Bridge
  • Moodle
Study here Give
Research and Resources
  • Research Interests
    • Demeler Group
    • Russell Group
    • Wetmore Group
    • Girodat Group
    • Hamel Group
    • Patel Group
    • Rathod Group
    • Roussel Group
    • Willi Group
  • Facilities
  • SynBridge Maker Space
    • Infrastructure
    • Booking
      • Equipment
      • Equipment Packages
    • Acknowledge SynBridge
  • RNA Bioengineering and Innovation Network

Girodat Group

The Girodat Lab combines cutting-edge experimental and computational approaches to explore how the dynamic motions of ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) drive their biological functions. By integrating enzyme kinetics, advanced fluorescence techniques, molecular dynamics simulations, and cryo-electron microscopy, we aim to generate high-resolution, time-resolved insights into the structural dynamics of these essential molecular machines.
While traditional structural biology offers static snapshots, our work goes further—capturing the flexible, moving parts of RNPs that are crucial for their activity. This dynamic perspective provides a deeper understanding of how structure informs function, enabling discoveries that support both fundamental science and biomedical innovation.
At the core of our research is the ribosome—the universal RNP complex responsible for protein synthesis in all living cells. Current projects in the Girodat Lab include:
1.    Engineering ribosome dynamics to control protein production by targeting key intersubunit bridges and hinge regions.
2.    Deciphering how Ribosomal Protection Proteins alter ribosome dynamics to confer resistance to antibiotics.
3.    Investigating disease-linked ribosomal mutations to understand how they disrupt normal dynamics and function.

Our work lays the foundation for developing next-generation antibiotics, improving therapeutic strategies, and optimizing protein synthesis in synthetic biology applications. Students in the Girodat Lab gain hands-on experience with interdisciplinary techniques and contribute to research at the forefront of molecular bioscience.

Image
gyrodat lab

Student Positions
The Girodat lab currently has the following student positions available:
1.    Structural Dynamics of Disease-Linked Ribosomes: Investigate how mutations in ribosomal RNA or proteins associated with human diseases alter ribosome structure and function, using integrative approaches such as cryo-electron microscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations.
2.    Mechanisms of Antibiotic Resistance: Explore how bacterial ribosomes and associated proteins adapt to evade antibiotics, focusing on the structural dynamics of ribosomal protection proteins and their interactions with the ribosome.
3.    Engineering Protein Synthesis and RNP Function: Design and test strategies to reprogram ribonucleoprotein dynamics for enhanced protein production or novel functions, integrating experimental and computational approaches in molecular biology, biophysics, and synthetic biology.
 

Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute (ARRTI)

Dr. Stacey Wetmore (Director)
  • 4401 University Drive
    University of Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4
  • 403-329-2303
  • rna@uleth.ca

Students

  • Academic calendar
  • Student Enrolment and Registrar Services
  • Student opportunities
  • Student services
  • Study here

Information for

  • Alumni
  • Donors
  • Visitors and community

Campus

  • Careers at uLethbridge
  • Events
  • Faculty and staff intranet
  • Maps and tours
  • News
Visit the University of Lethbridge Homepage
  • Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
  • Contact us
  • Calgary Campus
  • Faculty and staff directory

The University is located on traditional Blackfoot Confederacy territory. We honour the Blackfoot people and their traditional ways of knowing in caring for this land, as well as all Aboriginal peoples who have helped shape and continue to strengthen our University community.

©2025 University of Lethbridge | Terms of use