{"id":51903,"date":"2026-01-13T09:14:40","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T14:14:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/engineering.jhu.edu\/chembe\/?post_type=tribe_events&p=51903"},"modified":"2026-02-11T14:47:32","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T19:47:32","slug":"seminar-series-piyush-jain","status":"publish","type":"tribe_events","link":"https:\/\/engineering.jhu.edu\/chembe\/event\/seminar-series-piyush-jain\/","title":{"rendered":"Seminar Series: Piyush Jain"},"content":{"rendered":"

Title:<\/strong> Next-generation CRISPR\/Cas for targeting DNA and RNA<\/p>\n

Abstract: <\/strong>CRISPR technologies have transformed modern biology, medicine, and biotechnology, yet most platforms remain constrained by reliance on RNA guides that are costly, unstable, and prone to off-target activity, particularly in RNA-targeting applications. Over the past decade, our laboratory has developed a broad portfolio of CRISPR-based technologies for genome editing and molecular diagnostics, including modular delivery systems, programmable nucleic acid sensors, machine-learning-guided enzyme engineering strategies, and precision genome rewriting tools. In this seminar, I will highlight some of these platforms and their applications in research and translational settings, spanning viral and cancer diagnostics, genome modification, and therapeutic development. Building on this foundation, I will introduce a first-in-class DNA-guided CRISPR\/Cas12 platform enabled by \u201cpseudo-guide DNA\u201d (\u03a8DNA), which programs type V Cas12 enzymes for precise RNA recognition and regulation without collateral RNA degradation. Through integrated biochemical and cellular analyses, we establish the mechanistic basis of \u03a8DNA-mediated targeting, including kinetic profiling and high-throughput guide screening. Transcriptome-wide profiling reveals sequence-specific RNA engagement and a ribosome-stalling associated decay mechanism with minimal off-target effects. We demonstrate efficient multiplexed transcript knockdown, sensitive RNA detection, programmable epitranscriptomic modification, and dual DNA and RNA editing within a single effector system. Collectively, this work highlights a unified strategy for building scalable, high-fidelity CRISPR technologies and new opportunities in diagnostics, synthetic biology, and therapeutic translation.<\/p>\n

Bio:<\/strong> Piyush K. Jain\u00a0<\/strong>is an Exxon Mobil Gator Alumni Faculty Endowed Professor and Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Florida and a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). His research focuses on developing next-generation CRISPR-based diagnostics and genome-editing technologies at the intersection of biomolecular engineering and synthetic biology. Dr. Jain received his bachelor\u2019s degree in pharmacy in India and completed his Ph.D. at the University of Missouri-Kansas City under the supervision of Prof. Simon Friedman, where he pioneered light-responsive biochemical tools. He subsequently conducted postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Prof. Sangeeta Bhatia\u2019s laboratory, developing light-responsive nanosensors and gene-editing technologies. Dr. Jain\u2019s work is widely published in high-impact journals and has been highlighted by over 10,000 media outlets worldwide, including a TEDx talk. He holds over 40 issued or pending patents, has licensed technologies from MIT, and has co-founded multiple startups, including CasNx, focused on translating CRISPR-based technologies for diagnostics and therapeutics. His research has been supported by 18\u00a0grants from agencies including the NIH, NSF, CDC, USDA, and industry totaling up to $23\u00a0million, and he has received honors including the Shah Rising Star Professorship, the UF Provost Excellence Award, and the NIH MIRA-ESI (R35) award.<\/p>\n

10:30am, Remsen Hall 1<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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