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Prime editing can precisely edit the genome in a variety of ways. Now Broad researchers have used cutting-edge continuous laboratory evolution and engineering methods to develop improved versions of the gene-editing tool. Their new editors are more efficient and specialized, are able to modify DNA in cells and tissues that have been difficult to edit, and are smaller, potentially making it easier to deliver them into cells in the body as new disease treatments.
Learn how the Broad Summer Research Program (BSRP) for college students and the Broad Summer Scholars Program (BSSP) for high school students have shaped the careers of more than 300 researchers. BSRP and BSSP, since 2003 and 2013 respectively, have taught students research and laboratory skills and helped them feel a sense of belonging in STEM. More information about BSRP can be found at https://broad.io/bsrp and more information about BSSP can be found at https://broad.io/bssp
Meet Katherine Chao, the product manager for the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD), a human genetic variation database that has over 200,000 exome and genome sequences available for human disease research. Chao majored in biology and after college she soon found her way to computational biology through the world of rare disease. We spoke with Chao about her career path and what makes gnomAD unique in this #WhyIScience Q&A.
A new study of whole genomes from more than 250,000 people reveals new complexity in how the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes interact. The findings from researchers suggest that scientists can now quantitatively analyze key features of mitochondrial DNA to learn how the nuclear genome regulates levels of mitochondrial DNA across cells and tissues, how this relationship has evolved, and the connection between mitochondrial DNA and disease.
Genome databases can be a rich source of genetic information. However, the genomes of people of African descent are grossly underrepresented within these databases, limiting the potential for genetic and disease-related scientific discoveries that could help an expanded demographic. To combat this, researchers have created NeuroDev, a study that aims to increase the amount of African genomic data available for neurodevelopmental research. With the first year of the project complete, some of the researchers have taken a look back. Learn more in this Broad Q&A.
Collecting quantitative data from images, or quantitative bioimaging, is a recent development in microscopy. The process can be complex, and researchers without computational backgrounds can experience difficulty incorporating it into their experiments. Bioimaging expert Beth Cimini and Bioimaging North America aim to increase the accessibility of quantitative bioimaging with the creation of bioimagingguide.org, an online guide for creating and analyzing microscopy images.
Genetic datasets don’t reflect the diversity of the world’s population. Alicia Martin wants to change that. Read about Martin’s childhood in a small prairie town, the origins of her interest in population genetics, and her current work at the Broad, where she’s become a leader in showing how the lack of diversity in genetic datasets may exacerbate health disparities — and how studies that include people with diverse ancestries can yield insights into disease. “There's been this explosion of genetic data, but it hasn't been equitable. It doesn’t reflect the world's diversity,” Martin said. “I think our work is helping move a lot of researchers to study underrepresented populations, and I’m really proud of that.”
Polygenic scores have fallen short in predicting risk of disease for individuals of non-European ancestry, in part because of the lack of diversity in genetic datasets. Now, Broad and MGH researchers have designed a polygenic score that significantly improves the accuracy of genetic risk prediction of heart disease across all ancestries. They built the score using data from genetic studies involving more than 1 million people, including many with non-European ancestry, and incorporated related traits such as blood pressure and body mass index. The new score outperformed all existing scores in predicting risk for coronary artery disease among participants of African, European, Hispanic, and South Asian ancestry. The approach could help identify more high-risk individuals earlier in life and recommend interventions that have been shown to offset and even normalize high genetic risk. Described in Nature Medicine, the results suggest that the framework can be applied to improve genetic risk prediction for other traits and diseases, too.
Since the discovery of CRISPR/Cas systems in bacteria, researchers have wondered if similar systems exist in eukaryotes — organisms that include fungi, plants, and animals. Now, Broad researchers have uncovered a new system in animals that can edit the human genome. Makoto Saito, Peiyu Xu, and Feng Zhang showed that Fanzor proteins in eukaryotes use RNA as a guide to target DNA precisely, and that Fanzors can be reprogrammed to edit the genome of human cells. The compact Fanzor systems may potentially be more easily delivered to cells and tissues as therapeutics than CRISPR/Cas systems, and their efficiency could be improved through further refinements. Published today in Nature, the study demonstrates that RNA-guided DNA-cutting mechanisms are present across all kingdoms of life.
Meet Chanell Mangum, a research associate in Broad’s Optical Profiling Platform, whose love of science sprouted when she was a child working in her family’s large backyard garden. She studied bioengineering as an undergrad with the goal of working in industry, but after spending a couple of summers conducting research, including one summer with the Broad Summer Research Program, she decided to focus on research. “The curiosity part really sold it for me.” Read more about Chanell in this #WhyIScience Q&A.
