Julia Joung (ZHANG & FISHELL LABS)

Genome-scale Transcription Factor Screen for Neural Differentiation

Models of the human brain can advance our understanding of complex neurological diseases and inform therapeutic development. Current models of the brain, however, lack some of the relevant cell types and generally require labor-intensive and time-consuming processes. Here we establish a screening platform for systematically identifying transcription factors that differentiate stem cells into target neural cell types, which will advance our understanding of neural development and provide robust, scalable models for studying the brain.

Erika Handly (YAFFE LAB)

A CRISPRi Screen to Identify Combination Therapies for Improved Treatment of Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of death for women in the United States, with only modest improvements in treatment in the past few decades. Primary treatment is surgical debulking followed by a combination of taxane and platinum agents, but relapse and resistance are frequently seen. This talk will introduce a CRISPRi-based screen approach to identify new targets that can be combined with conventional therapies to increase drug efficacy and overcome resistance.