CRISPR Genome Editing: Emerging Technologies and Applications

The future of genome editing is adapting, evolving and unfolding rapidly. Its impact on the future of technology, science and entrepreneurship is profound and promises to alter the way we address real-world medical and agricultural problems.

At this event, Dr. Geoff Sargent, research scientist and educator, discusses the biology of CRISPR and emerging applications of the genome-editing technology. A panel discussion/Q&A followw, with academic and industry representatives, including UC Berkeley's Innovative Genomics Institute.

Geoffrey Sargent, Ph.D., CEO, chair at GeneTether, has been working in the field of gene editing in mammalian cells since 1987 starting at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (now Cancer UK) in Great Britain. He was one of the first researchers to use a site-specific DNA strand breaking system in 1994 to study gene editing by homologous recombination and non-homologous end joining in mammalian cells while working at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX. In 1998, Geoff moved to the San Francisco Bay area to work in a biotech startup developing high efficiency gene editing technologies for therapeutics and engineering large animals for AgBio applications. He has continued to work in biotech and academia developing gene editing technologies in pluripotent stem cells for treatment of Sickle cell disease and Cystic Fibrosis. During this time, Geoff has held positions at UCSF, and as CSO and VP Research in Stem Cell and Gene Therapy companies.