In our recent collaborative work with the Innes lab (Borniego et al. 2025), we showed that diverse classes of plant RNAs accumulate on the surface of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves and are compositionally distinct from apoplastic RNAs. Using RNA and small RNA sequencing, we identified a unique leaf surface RNA population compared to the apoplastic fragments. Importantly, we demonstrated that these surface-associated RNAs remain stable and could influence microbial colonization on the phylloplane. This work expanded the known landscape of extracellular RNAs, suggesting new ecological and functional roles for RNAs in the phyllosphere that go beyond their traditionally studied apoplastic functions. In the near term, my goal is to uncover the features that define how RNAs are secreted and stabilized outside the cell. By profiling exRNAs across tissues such as leaves, roots, and nodules, and by mapping their post-transcriptional modifications, I will test whether certain motifs or chemical marks act as “ZIP codes” that guide secretion. This is a tractable line of research, supported by high-throughput sequencing, labeling, and bioinformatic pipelines that I already employ, and will generate immediate insights into exRNA diversity.