Research focus
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 the cellular composition of the human brain and brain cancer. We use single-cell analysis to discover cell types, cell states and lineages in the healthy human brain. 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. Ultimately, we hope to develop effective programmable therapies to treat brain cancer.
More information
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