CHARM Investigator: Ethan Bier, PhD

CHARM INVESTIGATOR: ETHAN BIER, PhD

Active Genetics

Active genetics is a groundbreaking gene editing technique that uses CRISPR-Cas9 machinery to overcome Mendelian inheritance patterns in diploid organisms. The Bier lab focuses on applying this gene editing tool to solve different biological problems - for example a gene drive introduced into mosquitoes to provide malaria-resistance that was subsequently passed down to further progeny. ‘Pro-Active’ genetics (pro-AG) introduces the gene drive concept into prokaryotic haploid systems and the lab's recent work has focused on using gene drives to efficiently edit and inactivate antibiotic resistance genes in bacterial pathogens.

BIER LAB WEBSITE

Biographical

Ethan Bier majored in Biology and Mathematics at UC San Diego, received his Ph.D. in 1985 from Harvard University working in Allan Maxam’s lab, and did postdoctoral work with Drs. Lily and Yuh Nung Jan’s at UC San Diego. In 1990, Ethan Bier accepted a faculty position at UC San Diego where he is currently a distinguished professor in the Section of Cell and Developmental Biology and science director of the UC San Diego unit of the Tata Institute for Genetics and Society (TIGS).

CRISPR-Cas9 gene drive efficiently targets AMR

Plasmid mediated antibiotic resistance is rampant and detrimental as plasmids have high copy numbers within a single bacteria, can transfer rapidly through a bacterial population, and can jump between bacterial species/genus. Ethan’s lab has developed a CRISPR-Cas9 prokaryotic gene drive that can inactivate an antibiotic resistance gene on a high copy plasmid in E. coli at a ~100-fold greater efficiency compared to traditional CRISPR techniques.

Read the Pro-AG publication here

crispr active genetics

Learn more about Active Genetics Here

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Tata institute for genetics and society

Learn more about TIGS here

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malaria

Learn more about Malaria here

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