About

Michael T. Wolfinger

Principal Investigator · University of Vienna · Department of Theoretical Chemistry

Michael T. Wolfinger is a Principal Investigator at the Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, and a core contributor to the ViennaRNA Package — the most widely used open-source library for RNA secondary structure prediction and analysis.

Research Focus

His research spans RNA structure prediction, folding kinetics, co-transcriptional folding, energy landscapes, and the de novo design of functional RNA elements including exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs (xrRNAs) and programmed ribosomal frameshifting pseudoknots. A parallel track in computational RNA virology investigates how viral structured RNA elements subvert host immunity. The group has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications. Recent work appears in Nature Biotechnology, Nature Microbiology, Nucleic Acids Research, Journal of Virology, and at ICLR.

Why RNA Design

Most computational RNA problems in industry and applied research do not require hiring a full-time bioinformatician. They require access to deep domain expertise for a bounded period — to validate a design, unstick a folding analysis, or build a pipeline that runs reliably without ongoing maintenance. RNA Design exists to make that expertise accessible.
michaelwolfinger.com Google Scholar GitHub

Areas of Expertise

  • ViennaRNA
  • RNA Structure Prediction
  • RNA Folding Kinetics
  • Co-transcriptional Folding
  • Energy Landscape Modeling
  • Kinetic RNA Design
  • De novo xrRNA Design
  • Viral RNA Structure
  • Flavivirus Bioinformatics
  • AI-assisted RNA Design

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