Tingting Jiang

Assistant Professor, Icahn Genomics Institute, Oncological Sciences

Dr. Jiang is an Assistant Professor with the Icahn Genomics Institute and the Department of Oncological Sciences. Her research is focused on the development of CRISPR-based technology for the study and treatment of human genetic diseases. One of the major focuses of her research is the development of advanced CRISPR-associated gene editing tools, such as base editors and prime editors, to treat the inherited lung disease, Cystic Fibrosis. She has pioneered new approaches to correct CF mutations. Her long-term goal is to apply these strategies to  animal models and patient samples, aiding the development of personalized gene therapy and boosting existing therapies for cystic fibrosis patients. In addition to her work on CF, Dr. Jiang will also lead the programs to expand the application scopes of CRISPR-based genome editing in studying extrachromosomal DNA mutations (such as mitochondrial DNA) and modulating liver cancer drug resistance.  

Dr. Jiang did her PhD in the lab of Dr. Boon Chuan Low at the National University of Singapore, where she studied the spatiotemporal regulation of signaling networks in tumorigenesis (Oncogene, 2017). Dr. Jiang did her Postdoctoral studies at the UMass Medical School, where she developed versatile CRISPR-based techniques to study determinants of liver cancer growth and to establish approaches for genetic disease correction. Utilizing CRISPR screens, she identified a potential drug target for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and discovered crosstalk mechanisms involving mitochondrial function and de novo nucleotide synthesis that influenced liver cancer cell growth (Hepatology, 2021). In parallel, Dr. Jiang developed several novel technologies to improve CRISPR therapeutics (Hum Gene Ther, 2018; Nat Biomed Eng, 2020), including creating a new version of prime editor to rewrite long genomic sequence (Nat Biotechnol, 2021) and establishing an efficient base editing system for treatment of cystic fibrosis (Nat Comm, 2020).  Dr. Jiang was awarded a highly competitive K99/R00 to further advance her research in cystic fibrosis gene therapy development. 

Learn more at the Jiang Lab Website. 

Genetic diseases; Genome editing; Gene therapy; Cancer drug resistance

Our lab focuses on developing advanced genome editing tools to accurately correct the causative genetic mutations or reprogram the defective DNA sequences to restore the functional domains. Moreover, taking advantage of versatile CRISPR tools, we will introduce disease-associated mutations in vitro or in vivo, modeling the disease pathogenesis pathways driven by these mutations, to facilitate the potential therapeutic targets discovery for treating complex genetic diseases, such as cancers. Further, utilizing those clinically-relevant in vivo delivery methods (e.g. AAV and nanoparticles), we will evolve our newly-engineered editing tools into gene therapy strategies to treat different mouse models. In all, by rewriting the defective genes, we will explore next-generation gene therapies for those untreatable human genetic diseases. Postdoctoral and graduate projects are available involving:(1) Develop next generation Cystic Fibrosis gene therapy; (2) Investigating mutations within the Extrachromosomal DNA and relevant genetic diseases; (3)Modulate drug resistance in liver cancers by targeting the driving mutations.