Brady Cress

Brady Cress leads research on microbiome editing technologies at the IGI.

As part of the Berkeley Initiative for Optimized Microbiome Editing (BIOME) at the IGI, research in his lab focuses on engineering microbial communities to address global challenges associated with human health and climate change. To accomplish this, he is developing CRISPR genome editing and DNA delivery technologies that are specialized for targeted manipulation of microorganisms in the context of their natural communities, expanding beyond the paradigm of performing genetics exclusively on isolated species. These technological platforms aim to efficiently alter and augment microbial community functions to produce positive health and environmental outcomes. Cress completed an NIH Kirschstein-NRSA (F32) Postdoctoral Fellowship with Jennifer Doudna, where he and colleagues developed CRISPR-associated transposases for species- and site-specific genome editing within microbial communities.