A surprising outcome from the human genome sequencing project was that the number of protein coding genes only amounts to about 21.000 – a number not dramatically different from that found in much simpler eukaryotes. So what can explain and form the molecular basis for the significantly increased complexity
found, for instance, in mammals? Part of the answer resides in one of the most important and unexpected biological findings within the last decade; the realization that the vast majority of the mammalian genome is actively transcribed at some stage in development despite a lack of translation to protein. The regions encompassing protein coding potential (exons) in humans only amount to approximately 2% of the genome and this fraction has been the focus for the majority of scientific studies over the last many decades. New high-throughput methodologies, such as next generation sequencing (NGS) and tiling arrays have
demonstrated the existence of multiple new classes of non-coding RNA, such as microRNA (miRNA), long intergenic ncRNA (lincRNAs) and RNA molecules produced at promoter and enhancer regions, PROMPTs and eRNAs, respectively. Although our knowledge on the multitude of transcripts produced by the noncoding
98% of the genome is still very sketchy, pivotal roles have been established for ncRNAs in organismal development and homeostasis, in cellular proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis and in a broad range of human pathologies.

As the field is very new and holds the promise of major leaps in biological understanding and therapeutics development, it constitutes an important and very fertile breeding ground for a new generation of scientists.
Importantly, such leaps in understanding can only be brought about using a multidisciplinary and crosssectorial approach, in which techniques and knowhow from diverse fields like genetics, biochemistry, informatics and commercialization is combined and aligned. Accordingly, we here propose to form a pan-
European RNA training network, RNATRAIN. This network will be devoted to educating the next generation of European researchers focusing on the functions and importance of ncRNAs and applying their skills in multidisciplinary projects in which the ncRNAs are studied in the context of development, differentiation and disease.