Congratulations to Anita Hopper whose four year grant entitled "tRNAProcessing and Nuclear-Cytoplasmic Dynamics" was recently funded by the National Institutes of Health. This work will focus on the biogenesis and trafficking of tRNAs. tRNAs are essential for protein synthesis, and also play critical roles in the cell's ability to respond to nutrient availability as well as other functions. The Hopper lab has identified proteins that are crucial for proper localization of tRNAs in the cell, and will elucidate the biological functions for nuclear:cytoplasmic shuttling of tRNAs, and test the idea that the mitochondrial surface functions as a "warehouse" for tRNA processing. Since mutations in genes involved in tRNA biology cause human disorders ranging from metabolic diseases, to neuromuscular diseases, and to cancer, this work is expected to shed light on fundamental cellular processes that affect many aspects of human health.