Welcome to the Gilbert Lab!

The Gilbert lab’s expertise is in synthetic biology, functional genomics and cancer biology. We build CRISPR epigenetic editing tools to turn genes on and off and to perturb gene regulatory elements. We are developing CRISPR functional genomics approaches to map individual genes or sets of genes that regulate phenotypes of interest in vitro and in vivo. We are focused on utilizing our expertise to tackle big problems in deadly human cancers such as metastasis and drug resistance.
Gilbert Lab

Research Focus

1

Editing the Epigenome and Transcriptome with CRISPR

We have pioneered the use of a nuclease inactivated version of CRISPR/dCas9 in human cells to edit the epigenome or control transcription of protein coding or non-coding genes. We use dCas9 as a general RNA-guided DNA binding platform to recruit enzyme activities or protein complexes to specific target sites in the genome to execute a desired program. We have shown we can turn on (CRISPRa) and off (CRISPRi) expression of most genes encoded by the human genome. These tools allow us to mechanistically determine how epigenetic or transcriptional states determine cancer cell behavior and response to anti-cancer interventions. We will continue to use synthetic biology to build new innovative tools for editing the epigenome!

2

CRISPRi/a Functional Genomics

We have developed genome scale CRISPRi/a sgRNA libraries targeting protein coding and non-coding genes encoded by the human and mouse genome. We are using CRISPRi and CRISPRa screens to elucidate genes that dictate response to anti-cancer drugs or determine cancer cell properties such as metastasis or developmental plasticity. We have shown that genome scale CRISPRi/a screens reveal complementary principles of oncogene and non-oncogene addictions.

3

Genetic Interaction Mapping

Genetic interaction maps are pairwise perturbations that measure gene epistasis relationships. We are building genetic interaction maps to search for synthetic lethal gene relationships in cancer, map signaling networks and determine the functions of poorly characterized genes encoded by the human genome.

Publications

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Genome-wide programmable transcriptional memory by CRISPR-based epigenome editing

James K Nuñez, Jin Chen, Greg C Pommier, J Zachery Cogan, Joseph M Replogle, Carmen Adriaens, Gokul N Ramadoss, Quanming Shi, King L Hung, Avi J Samelson, Angela N Pogson, James Y S Kim, Amanda Chung, Manuel D Leonetti, Howard Y Chang, Martin Kampmann, Bradley E Bernstein, Volker Hovestadt, Luke A Gilbert, Jonathan S Weissman

CellApril 2021

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Mapping the Genetic Landscape of Human Cells

Max A Horlbeck, Albert Xu, Min Wang, Neal K Bennett, Chong Y Park, Derek Bogdanoff, Britt Adamson, Eric D Chow, Martin Kampmann, Tim R Peterson, Ken Nakamura, Michael A Fischbach, Jonathan S Weissman, Luke A Gilbert

CellAug 2018

All Publications

Team

Luke Gilbert
CORE INVESTIGATOR

Luke Gilbert

Luke Gilbert is an Assistant Professor of Urology and of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology at the University of California, San Francisco, and is affiliated with the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Innovative Genomics Institute. He received his Ph.D. from MIT and completed his postdoctoral training at UCSF. Dr. Gilbert was an early pioneer in applying CRISPR technology to edit the epigenome (CRISPRi and CRISPRa), and continues to develop new strategies for editing and understanding human genetics and epigenetics at large scale, with a particular focus on cancer. Dr. Gilbert’s research has been recognized by a NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, a Pew-Stewart scholar for cancer research award, and the AAAS Martin and Rose Wachtel Cancer research award.

Current Members

Becky Xu Hua Fu
Postdoctoral Researcher

Becky Xu Hua Fu

Stanford School of Medicine (Biomedical Informatics, M.S. & Genetics, Ph.D.)

John Liu
Postdoctoral Researcher

John Liu

UCSF (M.D., Ph.D.)

Gary Wang
Postdoctoral Researcher

Gary Wang

Columbia University (Biochem MD/Ph.D.)

Chris Hsiung
Visiting Scholar

Chris Hsiung

University of Pennsylvania (M.D., Ph.D.)

Sarah Hsu
Fellow

Sarah Hsu

University of Pennsylvania (M.D., Ph.D.)

Amanda Chung
Joint Graduate Student

Amanda Chung

Western New England University (Forensic Sciences, B.A. & Biology, B.A.)

Garrett Wong
Graduate Student

Garrett Wong

Western New England University (Forensic Sciences, B.A. & Biology, B.A.)

Ben Herken
Postdoctoral Researcher

Ben Herken

Lewis and Clark College (Biochemistry, B.A.)

Aidan Winters
Joint Graduate Student

Aidan Winters

University of Richmond (Biology, Computer Science B.S.)

Laine Goudy
Graduate Student

Laine Goudy

Scripps College (Biochemistry B.A.)

Raymond Dai
Graduate Student

Raymond Dai

Northwestern University (Biology & Economics B.A.)

Jason Swinderman
Joint MSTP Student

Jason Swinderman

Reed College (Biochemistry B.A.)

Caroline Wilson
Graduate Student

Caroline Wilson

Colby College (Biology B.A.)

Abe Arab
Research Associate

Abe Arab

University of Tehran (Cellular and Molecular Biology M.S., B.S.)

Nicholas Sambold
Research Associate

Nicholas Sambold

UC Berkeley (MCB, CS B.A.)

Minh Hua
Research Associate

Minh Hua

UC Berkeley (MCB B.A.)

Ishwa Muzaffery
Lab Manager

Ishwa Muzaffery

Sonoma State University (B.ASc. Biology)

Jason Estep
Scientist

Jason Estep

UC Riverside (PhD)

Ashir Borah
Graduate Student

Ashir Borah

Dickinson College (Mathematics, Computer Science B.S.)

Tyler Fair
Scientist

Tyler Fair

UCSF (PhD)

Alumni

Tom O'LoughlinAssistant Professor, Mount Sinai
Greg PommierMed School at Johns Hopkins
Sara MisiukiewiczGrad School, UCSF
Shaheen KabirGraphite
Lilly ScheibeMed School at HMS
Chris YogodzinskiGrad school at UNC
Alex GeMed school at UCSF

Out and about

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Contact Us

We are looking for motivated graduate students and post-docs. Join us! Email me at luke.gilbert@ucsf.edu or luke@arcinstitute.org.

Address

Arc Institute
3181 Porter Dr
Palo Alto, CA 94304
info@arcinstitute.org
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