Time:?16:00-17:30?Nov. 2, 2015

Venue: Zheng Yutong Hall

Reporter: Dr. Feng Zhang

Abstract

Advances in genome sequencing technology have accelerated the rate at which we can identify genetic variants associated with phenotypes related to human health and disease, but functionally interrogating these variants remains time intensive. Being able to quickly find the causative variants in a sea of a natural variation is essential to the goal of personalized medicine. To this end, new genome editing tools adapted from the microbial CRISPR-Cas system can be employed to rapidly screen through variants for functional effects as well as to model diseases based on patient-specific mutations.? I discuss here how the CRISPR-Cas system can be deployed as a powerful discovery platform, highlighting recent findings from CRISPR screens, and describe therapeutic applications for this powerful tool. Finally, I present recent work exploring the next generation of genome editing technologies beyond Cas9, and how these new tools will further expand our ability to connect genotype to phenotype and, ultimately, treat human disease.