Aya Narunsky is a computational biochemist focusing on the molecular evolution of proteins and RNA. She completed her PhD at Tel Aviv University under the mentorship of Prof. Nir Ben-Tal, where she became fascinated with origin-of-life research through her studies on the evolution of protein-ligand interactions. She then joined the lab of Prof. Ronald Breaker at Yale University as a postdoctoral researcher, where she led the computational discovery and characterization of novel noncoding RNAs in bacteria. Her work revealed that some of these ancient RNAs may also control essential biological processes in animals, including mammals and humans.

Research in the Narunsky Lab integrates deep expertise in both proteins and RNA to explore how these molecules—each with its own unique 'language'—emerged and coevolved into the sophisticated machineries we see today. The lab develops and utilizes advanced ML and AI tools to uncover the molecular motifs and evolutionary patterns that shape these essential interfaces. This research not only aims to uncover the evolutionary history of these molecular interactions but also seeks to illuminate their roles in health and disease, ultimately paving the way for innovative therapeutics and transformative molecular tools.