TSAI LAB
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Developing genome editing technologies as safe and effective therapies for human genetic conditions such as sickle cell disease.
Our Research
In the Tsai lab, our long-term goal is to advance safe and effective genome editing technologies to treat hematological conditions from bench to the bedside. Our current projects include:
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Protein engineering of CRISPR-Cas genome editors with improved activity, specificity, and precise control of DNA repair outcomes.
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Understanding safety of genome editors, including defining their genome-wide activities and interpreting the biological consequences.
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Advancing autologous genome edited hematopoietic stem cells for treatment of patients with sickle cell disease to a clinical trial at St. Jude.
We are grateful for support from the NIH Common Fund Somatic Cell Genome Editing Consortium, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and St. Jude/ALSAC.
Select Publications
News
May 2023
Tsai lab and co-investigators awarded NIH Somatic Cell Genome Editing Consortium grants to optimize CHANGE-seq, GUIDE-seq, and gRNA sequencing for use in development of genome editing medicines.
December 2022
Shengdar promoted to Associate Member.
November 2022
Shengdar recognized as one of highly cited researchers in 2022.
December 2021
GUIDE-seq protocol paper published in Nature Protocols.
November 2021
Shengdar recognized on list of Highly Cited Researchers in 2021.
September 2021
Rachael starts in the lab as a lead researcher.
August 2021
Elizabeth starts in the lab as a researcher.
June 2021
Andrea awarded NIH F31 pre-doctoral fellowship.
November 2020
CHANGE-seq paper published in Nature Biotechnology.
September 2020
Tsai and Weiss labs awarded renewal of DDCF funded grant to advance SCD genome editing therapy.
July 2020
Abby joins the lab as a research technologist.
May 2020
Shengdar honored by 2020 American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy Outstanding New Investigator Award.
March 2020
Congratulations to Andrea for passing her qualifying exams and becoming a PhD candidate.
October 2019
Kasey awarded Diggs postdoctoral fellowship
July 2019
Michelle, Kiera, and Tiffany join the lab as research technologists.
June 2019
Andrea joins the lab as a graduate student.
October 2018
Kasey joins the lab as a post-doctoral fellow.
April 2018
Varun joins the lab as a senior research technologist.
September 2018
Tsai lab and co-investigators awarded NIH Somatic Cell Genome Editing grant to develop a novel T-cell platform to understand biological adverse effects of genome editing.
June 2017
CIRCLE-seq paper published in Nature Methods.