Speaker: Mark Islan - Imperial College London
Date: Tuesday, 10th December
Time: 12:00pm
Venue: Jean Thomas Lecture Theatre
Abstract: Recent developments in synthetic biology have enabled both the design of gene regulation modules and their efficient delivery for potential human clinical applications. For example, we have developed a humanised synthetic gene modulation platform, based on zinc fingers, to address genetic diseases, including Huntington’s Disease, Friedreich's Ataxia, and cancer. Zinc fingers are natural DNA-binding proteins that are used by humans and other animals to switch genes on and off. They are extremely common – we have over 700 different kinds of natural zinc finger genes in the human genome. Such zinc fingers can be re-engineered to make tools to control genes via viral vector delivery, especially using adeno-associated viruses (AAVs). Since many zinc fingers have human origins, they can be delivered long-term to patients without causing a strong immune response. Moreover, this next generation ZFP modular platform drives robust activation or repression of target genes. The resulting constructs are small, non-immunogenic, safe, and specific to binding site. Such targeted gene switches therefore have great potential in medicine