Stephen is an EMBO Young Investigator and Vilnius University Research Professor. He was born and trained in the United States, where he earned his doctorate in Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology and Biochemistry at Brown University with Dr. Richard Bennett. He produced his postdoctoral research in CRISPR biochemistry and cellular aging with Dr. Ilya Finkelstein at the University of Texas. In 2021, he established his research group at the EMBL Partnership Institute in Vilnius University’s Life Sciences Center, where he leads the group in their search to discover and characterize CRISPR and other programmable nucleases with next-generation biochemistry. In 2022, he was awarded by the European Research Council a Starting Grant, the first in Lithuania.

Abstract of the talk// The last decade has produced a massive expansion in the genome editing tool set, paving the way for new therapies, diagnostics and technologies. Cas9, Cas12a, and related CRISPR nucleases form the foundation, offering precise genome editing at target sites that complement their RNA guide (gRNA). Yet, two major phenomena limit their utility: 1) Occasional “off-target” cutting activity at sites with just partial gRNA complementarity, and 2) heterogeneous editing outcomes at the intended target site. Stephen’s team develops high-throughput strategies that benchmark and quantify the off-target propensity of leading CRISPR nucleases, uncovering their precise rates and sites of cutting with nucleotide resolution. Armed with this data, it pursues re-engineering gRNAs to make editing outcomes less variable and more predictable. The team’s efforts help provide CRISPR users with greater genome editing success without increasing cost or complexity.

Stephen Jones will be talking live in Görlitz. However, as the event is organized in a hybrid format that includes a videoconferencing tool by Zoom Inc., people interested in the topic have the chance to also join the talk remotely. Please ask for the login details via contact@casus.science.