Fast ways to build and test many CRISPR protein variants
Methods to Rapidly Explore Combinatorial Diversity and their Application to CRISPR-Cas9 Systems
This project creates a faster method to make and test thousands of CRISPR-based gene-control tools to help researchers studying brain diseases like neurodegeneration.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11082175 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are building a new lab method called BaCES that can assemble and test tens of thousands of different Cas9-based protein variants at once. They will use this platform to create both gene activators and repressors, validate the most powerful versions across different cell types, and then test them in living tissues to study neurons. The work uses animal models and in vivo experiments to learn how neurons tolerate neurodegenerative stress and to find better gene-control tools. The goal is to speed up discovery of tools that could later support therapies for neurodegenerative disorders.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This grant does not recruit patients directly; people with neurodegenerative diseases (for example, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's) would be candidates for follow-up studies enabled by these tools in the future.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to benefit directly because this is preclinical laboratory and animal-model research rather than a clinical trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could produce stronger, more precise CRISPR tools that help researchers discover new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Related approaches combining protein parts and improved CRISPR variants have shown promise, but applying a high-throughput barcoded combinatorial assembly and in vivo screening at this scale is a novel advance.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chavez, Alejandro — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Chavez, Alejandro
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.