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A Standard Methodology to Examine On-site Mutagenicity As a Function of Point Mutation Repair Catalyzed by CRISPR/Cas9 and SsODN in Human Cells

Insertional Mutagenesis by CRISPR/Cas9 Ribonucleoprotein Gene Editing in Cells Targeted for Point Mutation Repair Directed by Short Single-Stranded DNA Oligonucleotides

Analyses of point mutation repair and allelic heterogeneity generated by CRISPR/Cas9 and single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides

Natalia Rivera-Torres, Ph.D., is a research scientist whose work has led to a fundamental understanding of how gene repair is carried out in human cells and how this process may vary in a variety of different patient samples. She also is credited with elucidating the mechanism of homology directed repair in human cells in a process known as Single-Strand Template Repair (SSTR) or ExACT, EXcision And Corrective Therapy. She is now the Principal investigator of Precision Genomics group at the Gene Editing Institute.  Her group focuses on identifying new clinically-relevant genomic targets for which CRISPR-directed gene editing can be utilized as a therapeutic modality.

Homology Directed Repair in Human Cells

EXcision And Corrective Therapy (ExACT)

Single-Strand Template Repair (SSTR)

Predicting Gene Editing Outcomes

Gene Repair

Downloadable photos of Natalia Rivera-Torres

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kelly-banas-phd-to-present-her-latest-discovery-at-crispr-medicines-first-international-conference

Research Scientist

Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer, The Gene Editing Institute

Global audience in Copenhagen, Denmark, will learn of Gene Editing Institute research targeting the NRF2 gene in cancer cells Kelly Banas, Ph.D., principal investigator at ChristianaCare’s Gene Editing Institute, will present her latest research discovery related to targeting the NRF2 gene in cancer cells at the first CRISPR Medicine Conference held in Copenhagen, Denmark, April 22 to 25.

The Gene Editing Institute’s research has focused on the NRF2 gene and the strong immune response it causes within cancer cells, allowing them to grow resistant to chemotherapy and leading cancer treatments to fail. By disrupting the NRF2 gene in cancer cells while allowing healthy cells to continue producing it, chemotherapy treatment becomes more effective.

Gene Editing Institute principal investigators Kelly Banas, Ph.D., and Natalia Rivera-Torres, Ph.D., in the lab. Banas’ latest research delves into the mechanism of DNA repair following the removal of NRF2, ensuring that surrounding DNA in healthy cells is not affected and that the repair does not produce an unexpected outcome.

“I’m extremely honored to be invited to this conference to highlight the work that all of our researchers at the Gene Editing Institute have put into this study,” Banas said. “The work we have done to characterize the impact of CRISPR on the NRF2 gene has changed how we approach new cancer targets.

“This has influenced how we design experiments and analyze our data,” she said, “so it’s got a big impact on not just our work, but the work of anyone we collaborate with in the future. This community is full of phenomenal voices, and we’re committed to sharing our work in contexts like this to continue building a foundation of CRISPR research that will uplift treatment for some of the deadliest and most resilient cancers and diseases.”

Read about Banas’ earlier research here. 

Kelly Banas, Ph.D., To Present Her Latest Discovery at CRISPR Medicine’s First International Conference

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