Akanksha Thawani, PhD

Dr. Thawani studies how so-called “selfish DNA” elements copy and paste themselves within the human genome. Using advanced methods such as cryo-electron microscopy to reveal the atomic structures of various molecules associated with these selfish elements, she aims to delineate their mechanism of mobility. She is also interested in understanding how selfish DNA elements are recognized and silenced within the human genome. Dr. Thawani plans to harness these discoveries to engineer new genome editing technologies to precisely insert large genes at user-specified sites in a variety of human cell types. This general technology will translate directly into new gene therapy tools that will enable treatment of loss-of-function genetic diseases, including many cancer types, and provide a path to improving CAR-T therapies for blood cancers.