New Collaboration Aims to Prevent Asthma by Editing Microbial Genes
Asthma is a chronic condition that affects millions of children, causing lifelong symptoms with no cure. However, researchers are exploring a new approach that may prevent asthma by changing the microbial environment inside the body.
Thanks to a $70 million grant from The Audacious Project, an initiative of TED, scientists at UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley are teaming up to develop groundbreaking treatments. Their focus is on editing the genes of microbes in the gut and airways that contribute to asthma. This effort represents the first steps toward a new field of medicine centered on the microbiome.
A Revolutionary Approach to Asthma
UCSF’s Sue Lynch, PhD, director of the Benioff Center for Microbiome Medicine (BCMM), will lead the effort using advanced CRISPR-based gene editing tools. These tools are being developed by two world-renowned scientists at UC Berkeley’s Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI): Jennifer Doudna, PhD, Nobel Laureate and pioneer of CRISPR gene editing; and Jill Banfield, PhD, microbiome specialist.
Their goal is to make precise edits to the genomes of microbial cells associated with asthma and push these discoveries toward clinical trials in humans.
Impacts Beyond Asthma
The insights gained from this research could transform medicine far beyond asthma treatment. By learning how to edit microbial genes, scientists hope to unlock new ways to address a wide range of health conditions and create innovative therapies based on the microbiome.