Correcting mutation by genetic engineering

Gene Editing

The Gene Editing Group is dedicated to discovering, developing, and applying innovative genetic tools that drive translational advances in cell and gene therapies. We work with promising systems such as CRISPR/Cas9, CRISPRi, and Cas13d, which require specific adaptations for each unique application. Our research addresses critical challenges in areas like gene therapy (Moretti et al., 2020), cell replacement therapies (Giehrl-Schwab et al., 2022), and novel RNA modulation and imaging systems (Gruber et al., 2024). For therapies that target specific cell types such as stem cells, or cells in challenging environments like the CNS, precise, targeted delivery is essential. To meet this need, we are developing a novel delivery platform inspired by nature, enhanced by artificial intelligence, and built with synthetic proteins (Schuhmacher et al., submitted). In addition, our transgenic unit supports both in-house scientists and external collaborators by creating customized model systems, including iPSCs and advanced mouse models (Giusti et al., 2024; Behrens et al., 2021). Overall, our vision is to empower the next generation of scientific and translational breakthroughs by providing and applying tailored genetic tools.

Team Members

Porträt Florian Giesert
Dr. Florian Giesert

Group Leader, Gene Editing

Heidi Krause

Technical assistant, Gene Editing

Adrianne Krapivkin

Technical assistant, Gene Editing

Dr. Christoph Gruber

Post-doc, Gene Editing

Dr. Maren Schuhmacher

Post-doc, Gene Editing

Iolo Balken

PhD Student, Gene Editing

Ricardo Ruijpers

PhD Student, Gene Editing

Ariane Krus

PhD Student, Gene Editing

Barbara Tremmel

Technical assistant, Gene Editing

Anja Folchert

Technical assistant, Gene Editing

Lyupka Mazneykova

Technical assistant, Gene Editing

Publications

Nat. Commun. 8:886 (2017)

Bowl, M.R. ; Simon,  M.M. ; Ingham, N.J. ; Greenaway, S. ; Santos, L. ; Cater, H. ; Taylor, S. ; Mason, J. ; Kurbatova, N. ; Pearson, S. ; Bower, L.R. ; Clary, D. ; Meziane, H. ; Reilly, P. ; Minowa, O. ; Kelsey, L. ; Tocchini-Valentini, G.P. ; Gao, X. ; Bradley, A. ; Skarnes, W.C. ; Moore, M. ; Beaudet, A.L. ; Justice, M.J. ; Seavitt, J.R. ; Dickinson, M.E. ; Wurst, W. ; Hrabě de Angelis, M. ; Herault, Y. ; Wakana, S. ; Nutter, L.M.J. ; Flenniken, A.M. ; McKerlie, C. ; Murray, S.A. ; Svenson, K.L. ; Braun, R.E. ; West, D.B. ; Llyod, K.C.K. ; Adams, D.J. ; White, J. ; Karp, N. ; Flicek, P. ; Smedley, D. ; Meehan, T.F. ; Parkinson, H.E. ; Teboul, L. ; Wells, S. ; Steel, K.P. ; Mallon, A.M. ; Brown, S.D. ; International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium (Beig, J. ; Bürger, A. ; Giesert, F. ; Graw, J. ; Kühn, R. ; Oritz, O. ; Schick, J. ; Seisenberger, C. ; Amarie, O.V. ; Garrett, L. ; Hölter, S.M. ; Zimprich, A. ; Aguilar-Pimentel, J.A. ; Beckers, J. ; Brommage, R. ; Calzada-Wack, J. ; Fuchs, H. ; Gailus-Durner, V. ; Lengger, C. ; Leuchtenberger, S. ; Maier, H. ; Marschall, S. ; Moreth, K. ; Neff, F. ; Östereicher, M.A. ; Rozman, J. ; Steinkamp, R. ; Stoeger, C. ; Treise, I. ; Stöger, T. ; Yildirim, A.Ö. ; Becker, L. ; Rathkolb, B. ; Eickelberg, O. ; Schmidt-Weber, C.B.)

A large scale hearing loss screen reveals an extensive unexplored genetic landscape for auditory dysfunction.
Dis. Model. Mech. 10, 981-991 (2017)

Salminen, A.V. ; Garrett, L. ; Schormair, B. ; Rozman, J. ; Giesert, F. ; Niedermeier, K.M. ; Becker, L. ; Rathkolb, B. ; Rácz, I. ; Klingenspor, M. ; Klopstock, T. ; Wolf, E. ; Zimmer, A. ; Gailus-Durner, V. ; Torres, M. ; Fuchs, H. ; Hrabě de Angelis, M. ; Wurst, W. ; Hölter, S.M. ; Winkelmann, J.

Meis1 effects on motor phenotypes and the sensorimotor system in mice.
Neurobiol. Dis. 105, 179-193 (2017)

Giesert, F. ; Glasl, L. ; Zimprich, A. ; Ernst, L. ; Piccoli, G. ; Stautner, C. ; Zerle, J. ; Hölter, S.M. ; Vogt Weisenhorn, D.M. ; Wurst, W.

The pathogenic LRRK2 R1441C mutation induces specific deficits modeling the prodromal phase of Parkinson's disease in the mouse.
Neuroscience 357, 241-254 (2017)

Schriever, S.C. ; Zimprich, A. ; Pfuhlmann, K. ; Baumann, P. ; Giesert, F. ; Klaus, V. ; Kabra, D. ; Hafen, U. ; Romanov, A. ; Tschöp, M.H. ; Wurst, W. ; Conrad, M. ; Hölter, S.M. ; Weisenhorn, D.M. ; Pfluger, P.T.

Alterations in neuronal control of body weight and anxiety behavior by glutathione peroxidase 4 deficiency.
J. Neurosci. Methods, DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2017.05.005 (2017)

Zimprich, A. ; Östereicher, M.A. ; Becker, L. ; Dirscherl, P. ; Ernst, L. ; Fuchs, H. ; Gailus-Durner, V. ; Garrett, L. ; Giesert, F. ; Glasl, L. ; Hummel, A.M. ; Rozman, J. ; Hrabě de Angelis, M. ; Vogt-Weisenhorn, D. ; Wurst, W. ; Hölter, S.M.

Analysis of locomotor behavior in the German Mouse Clinic.