Ryan A. Flynn

2026 National Award Finalist — Faculty

Ryan A. Flynn

Current Position:
Associate Professor

Institution:
Boston Children's Hospital & Harvard University

Discipline:
Molecular & Cellular Biology

Recognized for: Uncovering a new class of RNA molecules on cell surfaces, reshaping scientific understanding of cell communication, immunity, and cancer. 

Areas of Research Interest and Expertise:
GlycoRNA, Cell Surface RNA Biology, Cell-Cell Communication

Previous Positions:

Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford University School of Medicine (Advisor: Carolyn Bertozzi)
PhD, Stanford University School of Medicine (Advisor: Howard Chang)
MD, Stanford University School of Medicine

Research Summary:

Cells communicate with their environment through a complex array of molecules displayed on their surfaces, a system essential for development, immunity, and health. Ryan Flynn, PhD, transformed this understanding by discovering that RNA—long thought to function only inside cells—can be modified with sugars and displayed on the cell surface. This work revealed that these RNAs form a previously unknown communication network that regulates immunity, blood vessel growth, and other fundamental biological processes. By uncovering an entirely new layer of cell biology, these discoveries are opening promising opportunities to diagnose and treat cancer, autoimmune disorders, and other human diseases.

“The interface between cells governs their behavior and complex assemblies into tissues and larger systems of life. The Blavatnik Award is a great honor for our lab’s work in building the foundational rules of RNA regulation in this regulatory space.”

Key Publications:

  1. Chai P, Kheiri S, Kuo A, Shah J, Kageler L, Ge R, Perr J, Porat J, Lebedenko CG, Dias JML, Yankova E, Rai SK, Watkins CP, Hristov P, Tzelepis K, Hla T, Raman R, Calo E, Esko JD, Flynn RA. Cell surface ribonucleoproteins cluster with heparan sulfate to regulate growth factor signaling. Nature, 2026. 
  2. Graziano VR, Porat J, Ah Kioon MD, Mejdrová I, Matz AJ, Lebedenko CG, Chai P, Pluvinage JV, Ricci-Azevedo R, Harrison AG, Wright SS, Wang X, Strine MS, Wang P, Wilson MR, Kailasan Vanaja S, Zhou B, Barrat FJ, Carell T, Flynn RA, Rathinam VA#. RNA N-glycosylation enables immune evasion and homeostatic efferocytosis. Nature, 2025 
  3. Perr J, Langen A, Almahayni K, Nestola GL, Chai P, Lebedenko CG, Volk R, Detrés D, Caldwell RM, Spiekermann M, Hemberger H, Bisaria N, Aiba T, Sánchez-Rivera FJ, Tzelepis K, Calo E, Möckl L, Zaro B, Flynn RA. RNA binding proteins and glycoRNAs form domains on the cell surface for cell penetrating peptide entry. Cell, 2025.
  4. Xie Y*, Chai P*, Till NA, Hemberger H, Lebedenko CG, Porat J, Watkins CP, Caldwell RM, George BM, Perr J, Bertozzi CR, Garcia BA#, Flynn RA. The modified RNA base acp3U is an attachment site for N-glycans in glycoRNA. Cell, 2024.

Other Honors:

2026 Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance Award
2026 RNA Society Early-Career Award
2025 George W. Merck Fellowship
2025 Glycobiology Significant Achievement Award, Society for Glycobiology
2025 CRI Lloyd J. Old STAR Program
2025 Pew-Steward Scholars Program
2025 Damon Runyon Rachleff Innovation Award, Stage 2
2023 Damon Runyon Rachleff Innovation Award, Stage 1
2022 Star Family Prizes for Excellence in Advising
2022–2026 Rita Allen Foundation Scholar

In the Media:

Website