Trainee Funding

Congrats to Brett Roach. He was awarded a CGE trainee scholarship to attend the International Oncolytic Virus Conference.

"The meeting at the IOVC brought together scientists from all over the world with a shared interest in genetically engineering oncolytic viruses that target various types of cancers. The intimate setting of the conference allowed me to attend all talks, network with numerous scientists, and receive constructive feedback on my poster I presented."

I presented at the FASEB Genome Engineering: Research and Applications conference in Rome, Italy.

At the meeting I got to hear about the latest developments in the engineering of CRISPR-Cas based enzymes for more precise gene therapies. There was a lot of discussion about safety profiling new genetic medicines and the pathways to FDA approval for rare and n=1 diseases. This conference was small, so I got to attend every talk and hear from many leaders in the field.

I presented a poster and gave a talk titled "A novel mouse model of an Artemis-deficient SCID founder mutation for pre-clinical evaluation of in vivo correction using adenine base editing".

Recently I presented at the Children's Tumor Foundation NF1 Global Conference. 

This meeting showcases some of the top researchers in the field of Neurofibromatosis research, including Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors (MPNSTs). MPNSTs currently lack therapeutic options compared to other malignancies, with surgical resection and chemotherapy still being the standard of care. 

I gave a poster presentation on defining a consensus MPNST surface proteome to aid in development of new targeted therapies for MPNST.

"Recently, I had the opportunity to present at the ISSCR 2024 conference, one of the premier global events that bring together top researchers in stem cell biology, regenerative medicine, and genome engineering. My poster presentation focused on the cutting-edge work of base editing, showcasing how it enables single-step, highly multiplex genome editing in human iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells) with negligible genotoxicity.

This research represents a significant leap forward in precision genome editing, providing a versatile platform for making simultaneous edits at multiple loci without introducing harmful off-target effects. The work has vast implications for therapeutic development, particularly in areas like cancer immunotherapy, where engineered immune cells—such as CAR-iT and CAR-iNK cells—can be designed to target and destroy cancer more effectively.

The potential of this technology extends beyond a single application, offering a robust and efficient method for refining cell therapies and addressing a broad range of genetic diseases. Presenting at ISSCR allowed me to engage with leading scientists and exchange ideas about how multiplex editing can be applied to other challenges in the field, from neurodegenerative disorders to personalized medicine. It was an incredible experience to be part of the discussions driving the future of stem cell-based therapies."

The generous CGE Transformation Grant helped make it possible for me to attend the 7th annual International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference (CICON) in Milan, Italy this past fall.      

It was an incredible opportunity for an early-stage PhD student. I heard talks from Dr. Tak Mak, co-discoverer of the T cell receptor, and Dr. Jim Allison, winner of the 2018 Nobel Prize for his revolutionary immunology research, as well as from many other established leaders and up-and-coming scientists.     

It was a great way to learn where the field of cancer immunotherapy currently stands, which is an important framework to have if I'm going to effectively contribute to its progress in the coming years.

I'm sincerely grateful for the CGE Transformation Grant. It really enabled my trip to BSFcon in Cambridge, UK, this past September. Not only was the conference super inspiring, but it was also an amazing opportunity to meet and connect with basically everyone working on black soldier flies from across the world. It was invaluable for getting up to speed on what everyone was working on and putting faces to all the names and startups I had heard about. The whole experience gave me a fresh burst of energy and motivation to push forward with my project, which has recently received funding!

The grant covered the vast majority of my travel expenses which was a big relief, especially when attending an international conference. I've attached a few photos from the event to give you an idea of the atmosphere and scale. Again, thank you so much for the grant and the opportunities it has opened!