We are entering a transformational period in biomedical research, where technologies to read and write biological information have finally reached the scale and complexity of the organs we study. Gene editing, synthetic biology, synthetic vectors, single-cell biology, AI and machine learning are all converging to a new paradigm of biomedical research. These developments are nothing short of revolutionary. Programmable drugs based on synthetic DNA and RNA will soon become the dominant class of medicines. They are poised to democratize drug development, radically narrowing the gap between basic discovery and clinical trial. Being fully synthetic, and programmable, they can be designed and engineered, instead of serendipitously discovered. We are learning to program our own cells, and this new power will radically define the future of human health and well-being.
Our research focuses on single-cell biology, in particular applying single-cell expression analysis to discover the cell types and lineages of the mouse and human nervous systems. We leverage these molecular atlases to map cells from human brain cancer, hoping to discover unique cell states present in tumors that could be targeted for therapy.
To achieve these goals, we have developed technologies for extremely sensitive and accurate detection of RNA and DNA in single cells. We use advanced molecular biology, large-scale DNA sequencing, microfluidics and imaging. We use AI/ML to model molecular states, and build synthetic vectors to target and manipulate cell states in vivo.
To learn more, check out our recent Papers, see the People in the group, or get in touch.