New Researcher Highlight: Jessica Willi
Dr. Jessica A. Willi, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge
Dr. Willi is originally from Switzerland, where she earned her BSc, MSc and PhD at the University of Bern, working on the effect of RNA oxidation, RNA structure-function, and atomic mutagenesis. During her postdoc at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois and Stanford, California, she worked on synthetic biology for applications in cell-free protein synthesis and biotechnology. Dr. Willi started her own lab in July 2024 at the University of Lethbridge, focusing on engineering the ribosome. She likes to think of the ribosome as “the 3D printer of nature” that turns the genetic code into functional proteins. By simply supplying the right “code”, you can build anything you want – be it insulin, an antigen, or an enzyme that breaks down plastics. However, Dr. Willi’s team aims to push the limits of what you can build by tinkering with the 3D printer itself – and seeing if alternative bacterial ribosomes could be better at synthesizing these useful products, or even make products not found in nature at all. One part of that is evolving the ribosome to accept non-canonical substates, e.g. building blocks beyond the standard amino acids life has evolved with. While this could unlock a range of new chemistries, the ribosome is highly resistant to engineering attempts. The Willi lab tackles this challenge with a combination of unique engineering tools to build ribosomes from scratch and bespoke assays to track the activity of these alternative ribosomes, such as in vitro expression of a fluorescent mini-helix, that was published recently in ACS Synthetic Biology. These tools also help the team understand normal ribosomal function more deeply, for instance how the ribosome evolved and how it reacts to stresses like oxidation and antibiotics.
Dr. Willi is glad to have benefited from a classical biochemistry education in Switzerland, a country with a strong RNA research community. During her postdoc, she was exposed to an engineering mindset and the ideas of synthetic biology. With her new students, she is excited to combine ideas and methods from all those experiences into a unique angle on RNA biology. She also hopes to strengthen the SynBio community at University of Lethbridge and across Canada. “RNA is the most versatile biomolecule – it stores information, catalyzes, forms structures, and modulates function. What better material could SynBio wish for to build future technologies?” Dr. Willi considers being a scientist her dream job, especially when it comes to solving problems and interacting with students both in the lab and the classroom. As a newcomer to Canada, she and her wife are still acclimating to winter, but enjoy a long walk to take in Lethbridge’s small-town vibe and the wild river valley.
If you’d like to learn more about the Willi lab, you can find Dr. Willi on LinkedIn, Bluesky @willilab.bsky.social and check out the lab’s website: www.willilab.com
