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CRISPR gene-editing could potentially treat genetic diseases but researchers are still trying to improve editing tools. David Liu's lab has published two papers describing how they've make base editors that are more precise and able to target more locations along the genome than previous versions.
Building better base editors
What happens when more than 1,300 cancer researchers from 37 countries analyze more than 2,600 whole genomes of 38 different tumor types? They create the most comprehensive map of the cancer genome to date and generate many new findings about cancer biology — all published today in 23 papers in Nature and its affiliated journals. More than 50 Broad Institute researchers were involved in the 6-year long project, including Gad Getz and several of his lab members, Esther Rheinbay and Rameen Beroukhim. Learn more about the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes Project and what they found.
International collaboration generates most complete cancer genome map to date
Eno-Abasi Augustine-Akpan discovered computer science while taking a course in college and realized how it touches every aspect of our lives. Today as a software engineer at the Broad Institute, she helps biologists understand their data better and inspires young Black students to pursue careers in STEM. Learn more about Eno in this #WhyIScience Q&A, where she shared with us why she loves being a programmer, what inspired her to change careers from finance to biomedical research, and what advice she has for aspiring software engineers.
#WhyIScience Q&A: A software engineer tells her story of moving from finance to biomedical research
To Anne Carpenter, a picture is worth much more than a thousand words….more like a million data points. Carpenter, senior director of the Imaging Platform at the Broad Institute, and her lab are turning microscope images of fluorescently-stained cells into rich data sources that can be systematically analyzed, with the help of computer vision and machine learning. She and her collaborators have developed an image-based cell profiling technique called Cell Painting, which is being used by a growing number of researchers in a wide range of fields, from cancer biology to toxicology and drug discovery. Cell Painting is helping researchers find drug candidates faster, learn about the effects of chemicals in the environment, and gain insight into how cells function. http://glassdoor.com/slink.htm?key=vMsDL
A marriage of microscopy and machine learning
We asked Broad researchers what they think the biggest breakthrough has been in the last decade, either in their field or in biomedical science at large. Read their #DecadeinReview answers: http://glassdoor.com/slink.htm?key=vMUUq
What was the biggest science / tech breakthrough of the last decade?
Predicting tumor-specific antigens in a cancer patient could inform cancer vaccine development and other therapeutic efforts, but this is challenging because of the diversity of tumor antigens between patients. Cathy Wu, Nir Hacohen, Steven Carr, Derin Keskin and colleagues used a machine learning approach to analyze tumor antigens from dozens of human cell lines. The resulting model predicted at least 50 percent more endogenously presented antigens than previous methods, and identified more than 75 percent of the antigens displayed on 11 patient tumor cell lines. http://glassdoor.com/slink.htm?key=vMgWw
New tool could help researchers design better cancer vaccines
Zhanyan Fu became fascinated by the molecular mechanisms that cause disease during her time in medical school, and instead of launching a career as a physician, she decided to pursue a Ph.D. in neuropharmacology and train as an electrophysiologist, someone who examines the electrical activity of neurons. Today, she studies synapses and brain circuits in mouse models of psychiatric disorders including autism, ADHD, and schizophrenia. Learn more about the role of mouse models and the triumphs and trials of Zhanyan’s work in a #WhyIScience Q&A: http://glassdoor.com/slink.htm?key=vM2Af
#WhyIScience Q&A: What mouse studies can reveal about psychiatric disorders
Broad researchers develop a new CRISPR genome editing system, called "prime editing," that has the ability to directly make targeted insertions, deletions, and all possible single-letter changes in the DNA of human cells. The system combines two of the most important proteins in molecular biology — CRISPR-Cas9 and a reverse transcriptase — into a single machine with the potential to correct up to 89 percent of known disease-causing genetic variations. http://glassdoor.com/slink.htm?key=vMLUi
New CRISPR genome editing system offers a wide range of versatility in human cells
Computational biologist Josep Mercader began his career as a wet lab biologist but became intrigued by computational biology during his PhD research and decided to shift his focus. Today, he studies genetic datasets to gain a deeper understanding of type 2 diabetes. Josep discusses his career path and the importance of diversity and data-sharing in genomics research in the latest #WhyIScience Q&A: http://glassdoor.com/slink.htm?key=vMRJk
#WhyIScienceQ&A: Why I switched from experimental to computational biology
“As a staff scientist, I am always encouraged to learn new skills, to become a better scientist, and keep advancing my career. Being a staff scientist here at the Broad has also taught me better time management skills, and I am able to maintain a great work-life balance,” says Julian Avila-Pacheco. Learn more about Julian’s post-PhD career path in this #WhyIScience Q&A: http://glassdoor.com/slink.htm?key=vMyVG
What it means to be a staff scientist: new skills, perks, and challenges