University of Wisconsin, Madison
Appointed in 1993
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University of Wisconsin, Madison
Appointed in 1993
RNA dynamics in the spliceosome assembly cycle
MRC Center, University Medical School, England
Appointed in 1967
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MRC Center, University Medical School, England
Appointed in 1967
X-ray diffraction
MRC Center, University Medical School, England
Appointed in 1969
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MRC Center, University Medical School, England
Appointed in 1969
Sequencing of tRNA
University of California, San Francisco
Appointed in 1984
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University of California, San Francisco
Appointed in 1984
Regulation of HO gene of S. cerevisiae
The Scripps Research Institute
Appointed in 2024
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The Scripps Research Institute
Appointed in 2024
Towards a novel tauopathy therapeutic: harnessing biomolecular condensates for targeted protein degradation.
Tauopathies are diseases such as Alzheimer’s that are characterized by the aggregation of tau protein. Unfortunately, no disease-modifying therapies currently exist for tauopathies, and the impact of these diseases will increase as the global population trends towards an aging demographic.
Dr. Alex Stevens will investigate a novel mode for treating tauopathies in Dr. Keren Lasker’s lab at the Scripps Research Institute. Autophagy-based degradation methods are making progress, yet a hallmark of tauopathies is that these solid tau aggregates resist degradation. To circumvent this issue, Dr. Stevens will engineer biomolecular condensates to clear tau aggregates. Stevens’ research will set the foundation for next generation tauopathy therapies and provide a general framework using biomolecular condensates to modulate pathological events.
Stevens investigated how viruses hijack cellular transport mechanisms during his Ph.D. research in Dr. Samara Reck-Peterson’s lab at the University of California, San Diego. By exploring the conflicts between viruses and the host intracellular transport machinery, Stevens discovered a previously unknown transport mechanism that potentiates the innate immune response. His research provides insight into how cells mount a defense against infecting viruses and highlights the important role of cellular transport in this process. Now, Stevens will attempt to rationally hijack autophagy to enable degradation of aggregated tau.
Stanford University
Appointed in 2013
Molecular mechanisms of presynaptic assembly and maintenance in D. elegans neurons
The human brain is a highly ordered structure, consisting of billions of neurons linked through trillions of intercellular connections. Among the most powerful computational machines known to man, the human brain controls everything from our ability to perceive the world around us to higher order functions involved in learning and memory. At the heart of the brain’s processing power lies the synapse.
Synapses are specialized subcellular structures that mediate communication between neurons, thereby dictating information flow within the nervous system. Numerous proteins involved in synapse formation have been identified, yet how active zone and synaptic vesicle proteins coalesce into highly ordered macromolecular complexes remains a fundamental question in neurobiology. I am interested in elucidating the molecular underpinnings that support synapse formation and maintenance.
To this end I will use the Hermaphrodite Specific Neuron in C. elegans to examine how synapses are formed during development and maintained throughout the lifespan of the organism. Through a combinatorial approach employing RNAi and forward genetic screens as well as fluorescent microscopy I will take advantage of the inherent benefits of the C. elegans system to study conserved processes of synapse formation in the context of an intact organism.
MRC Center, University Medical School, England
Appointed in 1984
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MRC Center, University Medical School, England
Appointed in 1984
Transciptional regulation of yeast HO Gene
University of Colorado, Boulder
Appointed in 1981
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University of Colorado, Boulder
Appointed in 1981
DNA replication and transformation in C elegans
University of Cambridge, England
Appointed in 1959
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University of Cambridge, England
Appointed in 1959
University of California, Berkeley
Appointed in 2022
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University of California, Berkeley
Appointed in 2022
Discovery and Synthesis of novel anticancer drugs via enzyme engineering
The discovery of novel antitumor drugs requires the development of new methods to synthesize molecules of increasing diversity and complexity to meet the challenges of drug efficacy and safety. Biocatalysis provides an attractive strategy to perform chemical reactions under mild and sustainable conditions. The Chang Lab has recently discovered a family of radical halogenases that perform the regio- and stereoselective chlorination of unactivated, aliphatic C–H bonds within several amino acid substrates. Despite the synthetic utility of organohalides, there are limited biosynthetic and chemical methods for the selective chlorination of unfunctionalized alkanes beyond this example.
Using mechanistically-guided protein engineering, my research aims to expand the substrate and reaction scope of these enzymes to produce noncanonical amino acids bearing versatile functional group handles, including halogens or azide. These synthetic residues will then be incorporate into biological molecules of interest, such as known anticancer peptides, and can be further functionalized to access diverse, cyclic structures. Overall, this strategy provides a fully biosynthetic method for producing novel analogs of anticancer peptides with the goal of discovering improved drugs.
University of Glasgow, Scotland
Appointed in 1956
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University of Glasgow, Scotland
Appointed in 1956
Biogenic aspects of phenol oxidation
Cornell University
Appointed in 1987
Gene control elements in P450 pisatin detoxification
University of California, Berkeley
Appointed in 2011
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University of California, Berkeley
Appointed in 2011
The molecular mechanism of CaMKII activation by specific calcium-spike frequencies
Rockefeller University
Appointed in 1974
Membrane proteins
Harvard University Medical School
Appointed in 2006
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Harvard University Medical School
Appointed in 2006
Development of integrated genomic maps
University of California, San Francisco
Appointed in 2003
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University of California, San Francisco
Appointed in 2003
Host-pathogen interactions of Candida and Drosophila
MRC Center, University Medical School, England
Appointed in 1979
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MRC Center, University Medical School, England
Appointed in 1979
Expression of yeast and nematode genes in yeast cells
University of Michigan
Appointed in 2013
Elucidating mechanistic defects associated with dysregulation of a phosphatidylinositol signaling liquid
Mutations in Fig4 cause the incurable neurodegenerative diseases amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and CharcotMarie-Tooth Syndrome (CMT) through dysregulation of phosphatidylinositol (3,5)-bisphosphate (PI3,5P2). A molecular understanding of the mechanisms by which Fig4 regulates both the transient production and rapid turnover of this signaling lipid will be essential for devising therapies. Fig4 is the lipid phosphatase responsible for dephosphorylating PI3,5P2 at the 5 position to produce phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI3P). Paradoxically, conserved residues in the yeast Fig4 phosphatase active site are required to activate the lipid kinase catalyzing the addition of the very phosphate it hydrolyses. This suggests an internal mechanism for preventing uncontrolled elevation of PI3,5P2 in the absence of the activity required to restore it to basal levels. The research proposed here will use a yeast model to elucidate the conserved mechanisms by which Fig4 controls both the synthesis and turnover of PI3,5P2 and uncover which of these mechanisms are disrupted by disease related mutations.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Appointed in 2017
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Appointed in 2017
Molecular basis of karyotype evolution in Ewing's sarcoma
My postdoctoral research focuses on how specific aneuploidies benefit tumorigenesis and cancer progression. Over 90% of human solid tumors exhibit aneuploidy, which is characterized by whole chromosome gains and losses. Paradoxically, in normal and untransformed cells aneuploidy impairs cell proliferation, causes many cellular stresses, and is an infrequent occurrence in healthy somatic tissues. I propose to test the hypothesis that aneuploidy promotes tumorigenesis by suppressing oncogenic fitness penalties caused by oncogenic stress. _x000D_
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Since joining the Amon lab in Sept 2016, I have been using Ewing sarcoma (ES) as my research model. Most ES tumors harbor a clear cancer driver mutation, the EWS-FLI1 fusion gene, due to a reciprocal chromosomal translocation between Chromosome 11 and 22. In ES, Chromosome 8 and 12 gains are extremely common and this cancer displays one of the lowest mutational landscapes amongst all cancers. This distinct driver and recurrent aneuploidy makes ES a good model for studying the significance of specific aneuploidies in tumorigenesis. I utilize a tissue culture system and ES patient data (in collaboration with the Stegmaier lab at DFCI) as my research models in this project. With this work in ES, I hope to provide a basis for studies in other cancers that are similarly characterized by specific aneuploidies, such as glioblastomas and B-cell lymphomas.
Stanford University
Appointed in 1979
SV40 in non-permissive cells
Harvard University School of Public Health
Appointed in 1997
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Harvard University School of Public Health
Appointed in 1997
Regulation of the c-Maf protooncogene, a Th2-specific transcription factor
Harvard University
Appointed in 2025
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Harvard University
Appointed in 2025
Understanding energetic and vascular constraints on neurophysiology, encoding and behavior
The brain is a remarkable organ; it shapes our perceptions, memories, and cognitive functions, yet these functions come at a high energetic cost. During Dr. Shivang Sullere’s graduate research he discovered a novel mechanism for pain relief that provides significant insight into the role of endogenous cholinergic circuit, while serving as a potential alternative to opioids. During his fellowship, he will investigate the metabolic, neurophysiological and behavioral consequences of deficient energy supply to active brain regions.
During his Ph.D. research in Dr. Daniel McGehee’s lab at the University of Chicago, Sullere used neurophysiological approaches to explore cholinergic circuits involved in central pain signaling. He identified that activating certain cholinergic centers in the brain helped reduce pain, even in conditions in which opioids no longer worked. He then identified the receptor mechanisms mediating the analgesic effects of this cholinergic circuit.
As he transitions to Dr. Chengua Gu’slab at Harvard University, Sullere will adjust his focus to neurovascular coupling (NVC): a dynamic process that matches local blood flow to areas with high neural activity. He will use genetic mouse models and optical methods to disrupt NVC and evaluate how NVC impacts brain function at metabolic, neurophysiological and behavioral levels. Sullere’s studies will provide foundational insights into NVC and may reveal strategies for correcting metabolic deficits in diseases like Alzheimer’s, dementia, diabetes, and atherosclerosis.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Appointed in 1992
Protein tyrosine phosphatases in PC12 differentiation
Stanford University
Appointed in 2022
Examining the neural mechanisms for generalization
The ability to learn and memorize is essential for all living organisms to adapt to the ever-changing environment, and it serves as the foundation for higher-order cognitive processes such as reasoning, planning, and decision-making. However, the neuronal basis of memory remains unclear — it is largely unknown how memory-related information is represented by populations of neurons in the brain, and how that representation is formed as a result of learning-induced plasticity. By studying the activity of neurons underlying long-term memory using in vivo imaging and opto/chemogenetics, I hope to understand the neural mechanisms by which new information is learned and processed in neuronal populations. This work will provide insights into the computational principles that govern learning in biological and artificial neural networks.
University of California, San Francisco
Appointed in 2023
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University of California, San Francisco
Appointed in 2023
Cortical-hippocampal Neural Dynamics Underlying Model-based Planning
When planning or troubleshooting, we often contemplate possible actions and imagine their outcomes based on prior knowledge. The hippocampus has been implicated in our ability to imagine possible futures, yet it is unclear how future representations are regulated and what functions they subserve. Dr. Xulu Sun will explore the anatomical underpinnings, mechanistic control, and functional significance of hippocampal future representations in Dr. Loren Frank’s lab at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Sun will use behavioral tasks and multiregional electrophysiology to explore how the hippocampus interacts with other brain regions to enable future representations and how these representations may support flexible planning. This process is impaired in many neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. Thus, Dr. Sun’s research of the underlying neuroscience may reveal new strategies for treating such disorders.
As a PhD student in Dr. Krishna Shenoy‘s lab at Stanford University, Sun investigated dexterous movement control. There she used behavioral tasks and large-scale neural recordings to show how the cortical motor system implements a behavior-organizing map in rhesus monkeys. Dr. Sun will now use her strong foundation in neural computations to explore the neural basis of future representations.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory /
MRC Center, University Medical School, England
Appointed in 1982
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Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory / MRC Center, University Medical School, England
Appointed in 1982
Vertebrate embryology
Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm
Appointed in 1968
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Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm
Appointed in 1968
Interactions between the temperate phage P2 and its host cell, E coli
Harvard University Medical School
Appointed in 1999
Biosynthetic mechanism of yerisniabactin from Yersinis pestis
Scripps Research Institute
Appointed in 1978
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Scripps Research Institute
Appointed in 1978
Moloney murine leukemia virus
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Appointed in 1966
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Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Appointed in 1966
Mechanisms of biological regulation
Cornell University /
University of Utah
Appointed in 2023
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Cornell University / University of Utah
Appointed in 2023
Awarded Sponsor: Dr. Elizabeth Kellogg
Mechanism of DNA searching CRISPR-associated transposons
Can we using large language models to talk to our favorite protein sequence and ask it questions? Dr. Jeff Swan thinks we can! He is developing approaches and tools that leverage foundational protein language models to study mechanisms within the AAA+ (ATPases Associated with diverse cellular Activities) protein superfamily in Dr. Chris Hill’s lab at the University of Utah. Combining this with his experience with hardcore wet lab biochemistry, he aims to help bridge the gap between sequence data and protein function.
As a Ph.D. student in Dr. Carrie Partch‘s lab at the University of California at Santa Cruz, Swan investigated the role of the KaiC, an AAA+ protein that effectuates circadian timing. Dr. Swan demonstrated that the ATPase activity in KaiC imparts cooperativity to the transition between autophosphorylation and autodephosphorylation, which is an important feature of the circadian clock. With his expertise in AAA+ proteins, Dr. Swan is primed to uncover the functional hints interwoven in their protein sequence space.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Appointed in 2016
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Appointed in 2016
Interrogating macromolecular interactions at biological membranes
I am passionate about biological processes that occur at cellular membranes. Membranes not only define the borders of cells but also create a fascinating physicochemical environment for a wide diversity of functions. The broad questions that I have been addressing focus on understanding the role of membrane lipids in the function of membrane peptides and membrane protein complexes and developing innovative methods for modulating lipid-peptide or lipid-protein interactions in order to control biological responses._x000D_
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During my graduate research in France under the supervision of Prof. Solange Lavielle and Dr. Fabienne Burlina (at the École Normale Supérieure and the Pierre and Marie Curie University), I studied the spontaneous translocation of peptides through cell membranes that can be used as drug delivery agents. I characterized the translocation event at the molecular level, which provided pertinent clues to the design of drug delivery vectors with enhanced translocation abilities._x000D_
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As a post-doctoral fellow in the laboratory of Prof. Barbara Imperiali (at Massachusetts Institute of Technology), my overarching goal is to decipher the organization and dynamics of supramolecular membrane protein complexes that are part of the N-linked protein glycosylation pathway of pathogenic bacteria. I propose to complement the current methods with an integrated strategy that will merge cell-free membrane protein expression, bioorthogonal labeling and membrane bilayer Nanodiscs. When combined, these technologies will give access to site-specifically labeled membrane-resident protein samples for detailed single-molecule biophysical analysis.
Duke University
Appointed in 1987
Structural characterization of mammlian alpha 1, 3-fucosyl-tranferases
University of California, San Francisco
Appointed in 1994
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University of California, San Francisco
Appointed in 1994
Mi9-13 and cell migration
National Institutes of Health
Appointed in 1948
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National Institutes of Health
Appointed in 1948
Supplement to NIH grant
New York University
Appointed in 1963
Secondary structure on the messenger function of synthetic polyribonucleotides in protein synthesis
University of Colorado, Boulder
Appointed in 1994
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University of Colorado, Boulder
Appointed in 1994
RNA folding in the tetrahymena group 1 intron
Harvard University
Appointed in 1984
Control of early development in Xenopus laevis
Stanford University
Appointed in 2010
Optogenetic deconstruction of local calcium signaling domains
Calcium signaling is ubiquitous within cells, with numerous implications for cancer biology. I am developing new molecular tools to study spatiotemporal calcium signaling in neurons and other cell types._x000D_
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My interest in biology originally stemmed from a love for math, engineering, and technology. High-school experiences on the computer team, and during a summer internship where I worked with circuits and radar, hooked me on engineering, and led to an undergraduate major in electrical engineering. However, I had a lingering penchant for biology and, during college, when I was exposed to the field of bioengineering, I realized how engineering and biology were truly compatible with one another. Since then, Ive had the privilege of full-immersion into both biology and technology. I received my MD/PhD at Johns Hopkins where my incredible mentor, David Yue, helped me realize how beautiful complexity can arise from simple interactions present within cells, and how calcium, in particular, acts as a universal currency of information transfer within cells. With JCC fellowship support, I plan to develop tools not only to study, but also manipulate calcium signaling in cells tools that will likely be useful in many branches of biological science.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Appointed in 2004
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Appointed in 2004
Vitamin B12 in rhizobium-legume symbiosis
National Institutes of Health
Appointed in 1955
Nucleic acid synthesis
University of California, San Francisco
Appointed in 1997
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University of California, San Francisco
Appointed in 1997
ASH1 mRNA localization in S. cervisiae
University of Oregon
Appointed in 1993
Molecular analysis of the zebrafish axial patterning gene floating head
University of Colorado, Boulder
Appointed in 1985
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University of Colorado, Boulder
Appointed in 1985
Trans-acting regulators of homeotic gene function
Boston Children's Hospital /
Harvard University Medical School
Appointed in 2014
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Boston Children's Hospital / Harvard University Medical School
Appointed in 2014
Dissecting early host endotoxin sensing mechanisms
My first contact with the field of host and pathogen interaction dated back to the time when I was working at Dr. Feng Shao’s Lab at the National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing (NIBS), one of the most prestigious research institute in China.¬†¬† My intern project was to clone and characterize the host substrates of an E3 ubiquitin ligase domain containing effector protein from the vacuolar pathogen Legionella pneumophila. From this experience, I was deeply impressed by the broad array of biochemical mechanisms employed by the bacterial effector proteins to manipulate host functions in order to survive and proliferate inside the host.¬† Furthermore, this experience built up my passion and determination to launch my research journey in host and pathogen interaction.
A year later after my internship, I went on to pursuit my graduate study in Dr. Zhao-Qing Luo’s Lab at Purdue University.  My research projects have been focused on the manipulation of host membrane trafficking pathways by Legionella effectors.  Specifically, I have discovered that Legionella effector proteins exploited distinct post-translational modification mechanisms, i.e. reversible AMPylation and Phosphorylcholination, to regulate the activities of the host small GTPase Rab1. In summary, these findings highlight the sophisticated nature of host-pathogen interactions and reveals that bacterium has the ability to rewire host signaling events for its own benefit.
Living in the ocean of microorganisms, the innate immune system is the first line of defense to protect host from invading pathogens and to maintain tissue homeostasis.  Thus, for my postdoctoral training, I would like to branch out my research focus from microbial pathogenesis into studying the cell biological and biochemical regulatory mechanisms of the host innate immune response.  Particularly, I will decipher the spatial-temporal relationships among the earliest cell biological events triggered by endotoxin, such as receptor endocytosis, reactive oxygen production, LC3 associated phagocytosis and SMOC formation.  I believe that my proposed research will provide new insights into the previously unexplored area of TLR signaling.
University of California, Berkeley
Appointed in 2009
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University of California, Berkeley
Appointed in 2009
A genomic study of homologous recombination between repetitive elements
I am interested in understanding how genome structure affects genome function and evolution.  I am studying how chromosome organization limits homologous recombination between dispersed repetitive DNA elements.
I owe my scientific curiosity to two people: my father, who always took the time to answer my questions when I was young, and my high school biology teacher, Dr. Daniel Walsh, who had an endless supply of knowledge and enthusiasm about science. I’m pursuing an academic research career because I believe that one-on-one mentoring between a principal investigator and a graduate students is an ideal training forum.
Previously, I was a lot more active in sports, mostly cycling and running. ¬†These days, however, when I’m not working, my life centers around my wife and our two dogs. ¬†I am still trying to fit in that occasional run!
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Appointed in 2002
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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Appointed in 2002
Novel genetic approaches in the study of tumor suppressor VHL
California Institute of Technology
Appointed in 2010
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California Institute of Technology
Appointed in 2010
A key to the discovery of new antibacterials: structure determination of an essential bacterial membrane protein, MraY
I grew up in Tokyo, Japan, and came to Los Angeles in 2000 to obtain an undergraduate degree in biochemistry. In my junior year at the ¬†University of California, Los Angeles, I joined the protein expression laboratory under Professor Jeanne Perry’s supervision; there, I was fascinated by x-ray crystallography and decided to go to graduate school to learn more about protein structures and functions. During my¬†graduate study at UCLA, I joined Professor Todd Yeates’ laboratory and determined various structures of shell proteins from bacterial¬†microcompartments. I love southern California and am very happy that I get to stay here to do my post-doctoral work at Caltech.
Harvard University
Appointed in 2016
Development of smart genome-editing agents for targeted therapy
Genetic abnormality is the root cause of many diseases. Canonical therapeutics primarily function by binding to the disease-associated proteins and modulating their activity. The recent advent of programmable sequence-specific endonucleases, however, has raised the possibility of direct manipulation of the corresponding genes and could eventually lead to effective cures of many diseases. The therapeutic potential of genome-editing agents is currently limited due to undesired DNA modifications including activity at off-target DNA sites and activity (on-target or off-target) in cells that are not the target population. My research focuses on developing genome-editing agents responsive to various endogenous and exogenous signals with improved specificity
Stanford University
Appointed in 1991
A novel vaccine for B-cell lymphoma
University of Oxford, England
Appointed in 1956
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University of Oxford, England
Appointed in 1956
Factors controlling metabolism at the cellular and sub-cellular level