ABOUT US

Our Mission

The Gene Editing Institute advances the power of CRISPR gene editing technology to improve human life through groundbreaking research and development and by inspiring and helping to prepare the next generation of scientists.

Our History

Launched at ChristianaCare in 2015 under the leadership of gene editing pioneer Eric Kmiec, Ph.D., the Gene Editing Institute is a world leader in CRISPR gene editing technology. It is the only institute of its kind embedded in a community health system and brings a unique patient focus to the cutting-edge science of CRISPR gene editing. As a wholly owned subsidiary of ChristianaCare, the Institute is positioned to fast-track new research discoveries to market.

Major Achievements

Developing what will be the first ever lung cancer patient trial using CRISPR gene editing in a solid tumor.

Developed the ExACT™ pathway of single-stranded DNA repair, which increased the on-target efficacy of CRISPR and paved the way for new CRISPR breakthroughs in precise DNA edits.

Created the first CRISPR gene editing tool to allow DNA repairs outside the human cell – on a chip – which will rapidly speed therapies to patients.

Introduced Gene Editing 360, a suite of highly flexible educational tools designed to train high school and college students in the fundamentals of CRISPR gene editing technology.

Created CRISPR in a Box, the teaching toolkit component of Gene Editing 360™ that provides students with a unique, hands-on learning experience in CRISPR gene editing.

Developed DECODR, a powerful software tool that provides a convenient and user-friendly method to quantify the edits present in CRISPR-edited Sanger sequencing data.

Our Diversity Commitment

We seek to diversify the gene editing workforce and increase medical literacy and trust in the medical system. Having a diverse scientific community builds trust between researchers and patients who stand to benefit from their work. It also helps ensure that scientific advances are equitably available to and used by everyone.

The Gene Editing Institute builds diversity in the gene editing workforce by providing opportunities for all students to develop the skills they need to explore careers in this field. For example, with support from the National Science Foundation, the Institute has partnered with high schools to introduce CRISPR education into their curricula and launched a CRISPR training program at Delaware Technical Community College. This “teach the teachers” approach has reached dozens of college instructors from North Carolina to Washington state at community colleges, universities and high schools.

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Our Structure

Three teams of dedicated scientists and innovators carry out the Gene Editing Institute’s mission:

Our Discovery Research Team explores the molecular basis of gene editing. Breakthrough discoveries include the first CRISPR tool to repair DNA outside the human cell.

The extraordinary team of gene scientists in our Translational Science Team collaborates with ChristianaCare oncologists to pursue new, life-extending solutions for patients with solid tumors.

Our Education and Outreach Team inspires and helps prepare the next generation of gene scientists by training and equipping teachers with the tools they need to launch students on a journey of learning and discovery in this exciting field.

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Find out more about the latest news and publications.