CRISPR-Cas is a powerful molecular tool for changing the code of life. Jennifer Doudna and her team focus on developing novel CRISPR-Cas technologies and using them to study molecular mechanisms of disease. Their goal is to establish first-of-their-kind approaches to treat disease by cutting out or modifying harmful DNA.

Current research in Doudna’s lab focuses on discovering and characterizing novel CRISPR-Cas-related proteins, developing genome-editing tools for use in vitro and in vivo, and using CRISPR technology to better understand the genetics of certain cancers like glioblastoma. New discoveries in this field continue at a rapid pace, revealing a technology that has widespread applications.

Disease Areas

Cancer
Infectious Diseases
Neurodegenerative Diseases

Areas of Expertise

Biochemistry and Structural Biology
CRISPR and Genome Editing
Working in the Doudna lab

Lab Focus

Elucidating the mechanisms underlying CRISPR–Cas immunity in bacterial cells, especially the functions of the various Cas proteins discovered so far.
Developing and applying novel CRISPR-based tools toward applications in biotechnology, diagnostics, neurodegenerative diseases, and other diseases.
Understanding the mechanisms controlling translation—the reading of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) into proteins—with a focus on factors that regulate mRNA accessibility and on the inhibition of pathogens’ RNA translation by interferon during infection.

Research Impact

Doudna and her colleagues rocked the research world in 2012 by describing a simple way of editing the DNA of any organism using an RNA-guided protein found in bacteria. This technology, called CRISPR-Cas9, has opened the floodgates of possibility for human and non-human applications of gene editing, including assisting researchers in the fight against HIV, sickle cell disease, and muscular dystrophy. While it was possible to modify cells’ genomes prior to CRISPR-Cas9, this platform has revolutionized genetic engineering by its simplicity, versatility, and precision. Doudna’s lab continues to refine the technology by investigating the mechanisms of action of various bacterial Cas proteins, with an eye to adapting their findings toward specific applications in biotechnology or medicine.

 

Lab Members

Ron Boger, MSE
Collaborator
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Jennifer Doudna, PhD
Senior Investigator
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Kristen Ho
Student Intern
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Keana Lucas
Affiliate
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Wayne Ngo, PhD
Visiting Postdoc
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Jason Nomburg, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar
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Nate Price
Visiting Researcher
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Daniel Rosas Rivera
Research Associate III
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Wayne Xue
Graduate Student
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Peter Yoon
Affiliate
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Jingkun Zeng, PhD
Visiting Postdoc
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Karen Zhu
Bioinformatician I
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