Mutation & Change – Kunwoo Lee, PhD, CEO and Co-founder of GenEdit – Gene Editing That Can Help Combat Disease

Kunwoo Lee, Ph.D., CEO, and co-founder of GenEdit delivers an interesting overview of his company's groundbreaking work in gene editing.

GenEdit is a future-forward company that has a primary focus on genome editing, developing advanced technologies for CRISPR/Cas9 based therapeutics. Their proprietary technology supports the delivery of unique gene editors to an array of tissues utilizing nanoparticles that are non-viral and also polymer-based delivery vehicles.

Lee talks about the origin of his company. He provides some background information about DNA sequences and discusses in detail how DNA is assigned at birth, and he explains that although there are some mutations, it has generally been very difficult to change the DNA that we are born with. As Lee states, in the past, if one was born with a genetic disease there was not much that could be done to alter that on the DNA level, but now, with new advancing technologies, there are many more options.

Genetic diseases exist in many organs such as the brain, liver, muscle, and blood. As Lee outlines, their GenEdit platform can screen the polymer-based nanoparticle library to ascertain the optimum delivery to a target organ. Their unique nanoparticles can enclose gene therapy molecules as well as CRISPR proteins.

The gene expert talks about how their system works in detail, explaining their delivery system, delivering genes to target tissue areas. He discusses their many challenges, and some of the processes they have used to accomplish their goals. He speaks about viruses and how the human body reacts. Lee talks about how they utilize CRISPR/Cas9 to precisely impact the gene that has a genetic mutation. CRISPR/Cas9 is a breakthrough technology in the field of biotech that has now become a go-to laboratory tool for many high-end researchers globally. CRISPR is, in its simplest terms, a collective of DNA sequences that can be found in the genomes of various prokaryotic organisms such as bacteria.

Lee explains muscle regeneration and nerve regeneration, and the possibilities for both, considering the technologies his company has developed, and are continuing to advance further. He discusses the permanency of gene editing and how technology is literally changing the way we think about combatting diseases. As animal testing has shown some incredibly exciting possibilities, Lee talks about his enthusiasm regarding their road forward with the technology, and the steps they must take before human clinical trials will begin.