Research

Genome editing has transformed molecular biology and industrial biotechnology. RNA-programmable CRISPR-Cas nucleases made targeted DNA cleavage routine, and the toolkit has since expanded to include base editors, prime editors and compact RNA-guided systems such as TnpB, broadening both what can be written into a genome and how precisely.

At the heart of every genome editing outcome is DNA repair. A targeted double-strand break can be resolved by end-joining, which typically produces short insertions and deletions, or by template-directed pathways that copy sequence from a donor template to introduce precise changes. In practice, the DNA repair route a cell takes, along with the cell cycle stage, epigenetic context and many additional factors, determines whether an edit is accurate, efficient and heritable. We study these pathways directly, including repair mechanisms that fall outside the classical end-joining and homology-directed models, and use what we learn to design editing strategies that are more predictable and precise.

Building on this, we develop and apply genome engineering tools in plants and in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, alongside complementary work on small RNA biology and RNA silencing. Our interests span precise nuclease- and base-editing chemistries, and diverse delivery routes that enable transgene-free genome engineering in crops. The aim is to build and harness a reliable set of tools and strategies for functional genomics, crop improvement and industrial biotechnology, grounded in a mechanistic understanding of how cells repair their own DNA.