This week two Ramaz ninth grade biology classes visited Dr. David Bechhofer’s lab at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Bechhofer studies the enzymes responsible for breaking down mRNA molecules. mRNA molecules are the working instructions for building proteins. Degrading mRNA is an essential part of cell function. Although degrading mRNAs requires the cell to expend energy making new mRNAs, it allows the cell to be responsive to its environment and make only the proteins it needs when it needs them. Dr. Bechhofer is a master teacher and explained to the students how and why he does this research. He shared that his lab discovered a new type of enzyme that is also found in SARS Co-V 2, the virus which causes Covid. It was exciting to think through some potential therapeutic applications for the information he is uncovering. Dr. Bechhofer also gave the students a tour of his lab and the shared lab spaces so they could see the tools used to perform many of the biotechnology techniques discussed in class.