Using genome editing and single cell approaches to study early lineage specification in human embryos

Using genome editing and single-cell approaches to study early lineage specification in human embryos

Speaker: Dr Kathy Niakan, Group Leader, Francis Crick Institute

Kathy Niakan is a Group Leader at the Francis Crick Institute in London. She was the first scientist in the world to use CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing techniques to study gene function in human embryos and discovered the role of a key gene in human embryo development. Research equipment and objects from her lab have been exhibited at the Science Museum in London and are part of the permanent collection. Work from her laboratory contributed to changes in UK law allowing the clinical use of mitochondrial replacement therapy. 

Kathy is a Blavatnik Award UK Finalist in Life Sciences and was named Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, Nature Journal “Ones to Watch”, Guardian Newspaper’s “Rising Stars” and The Evening Standard London's most influential people in Medicine. Kathy obtained a B.Sc. and B.A. from University of Washington, a PhD at University of California, Los Angeles and undertook postdoctoral training at Harvard University. She was a Next Generation Research Fellow at University of Cambridge.