Dr Andrew Bassett

Andrew leads the Gene Editing and Cellular R&D group at the Wellcome Sanger Institute. His group develops genome engineering techniques in human pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), with a particular interest in understanding regulation of gene expression in development and neurodegenerative disease. This includes methods for scaling current genome engineering protocols, modulating the epigenetic and transcriptional status of a cell, and improve the efficiency and specificity of the technology. He is particularly involved in the design and application of a variety of pooled and arrayed CRISPR screening approaches in iPSC-derived model systems with more complex single cell ‘omics readouts and genetic interaction screening.

Prior to this, he obtained his PhD at the MRC-LMB with Andrew Travers on the role of chromatin remodelling in heterochromatin formation. His postdoctoral work focused on the role of small RNAs in targeting chromatin modifications with David Baulcombe in Cambridge and the function of long non-coding RNA molecules with Chris Ponting at the MRC-FGU in Oxford. Here he was one of the first to develop CRISPR in Drosophila. He then set up Genome Engineering Oxford and was involved in projects including the production of sgRNA libraries, and development of methods to investigate miRNA target site functionality in vivo.