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Leadership

The Innovative Genomics Institute is led by a team of exceptional, forward-thinking scientists, including early CRISPR and genome engineering innovators. They draw on in-depth subject matter knowledge and wide-ranging research experience to guide the overall vision of the IGI and direct its new and ongoing programs.

Directorate

The Directorate team provides visionary and strategic leadership, defines the scientific direction of the Institute, and oversees programs and facilities.

Headshot of Jennifer Doudna

Jennifer Doudna, Ph.D.

Executive Director

Jennifer Doudna is a Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology and Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley. The Doudna lab pursues a mechanistic understanding of fundamental biological processes involving RNA molecules.

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Jonathan Weissman, Ph.D.

Co-director

Jonathan Weissman is a Professor of Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology at the University of California, San Francisco. The Weissman lab combines large-scale approaches and mechanistic investigations to understand fundamental biological processes including gene expression, translation, and protein folding.

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Mike Botchan, Ph.D.

Deputy Director

Mike Botchan is the Dean of Biological Sciences and a Professor of Molecular & Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. The Botchan lab studies the mechanisms and regulation of DNA replication and gene expression in eukaryotes.

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Bruce Conklin, M.D.

Deputy Director

Bruce Conklin is a Senior Investigator at the Gladstone Institute and a Professor of the Departments of Medicine, Ophthalmology, and Pharmacology at the University of California, San Francisco. The Conklin lab is developing genome surgery methods to treat severe mono-allelic genetic diseases of the retina, motor neurons, and cardiomyocytes.

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Jill Banfield, Ph.D.

Scientific Director, Microbiology

Jill Banfield is a Professor of Earth and Planetary Science and Environmental Science, Policy, & Management at the University of California, Berkeley with an appointment in Earth and Environmental Sciences at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. The Banfield lab studies the inter-organismal and environmental interactions of natural microbial communities using cultivation-independent approaches such as metagenomics and community proteomics.

Headshot of Alexander Marson

Alex Marson, M.D., Ph.D.

Scientific Director, Biomedicine

Alex Marson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of California, San Francisco. The Marson lab uses genome editing to study how different DNA sequences control human T cell function, and applies this knowledge to develop next-generation therapies for cancer as well as infectious and immunological diseases.

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Brian Staskawicz, Ph.D.

Scientific Director, Agriculture

Brian Staskawicz is the Maxine J. Elliot Professor of Plant & Microbial Biology at The University of California, Berkeley. The Staskawicz lab studies the molecular basis of plant-pathogen interactions and applies their discoveries to engineer resistance in crop species.

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Headshot of Fyodor Urnov

Fyodor Urnov, Ph.D.

Scientific Director, Technology & Translation

Fyodor Urnov is a Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on advancing genome editing technology and pushing the boundaries of how it can be applied to solve real-world problems.

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Susan Jenkins, Ph.D.

Managing Director

Susan Jenkins leads institute-wide administration and manages education and outreach, communications, external collaborations, and intellectual property. She can be reached at sjenkins@berkeley.edu.