Dr Francisco Mojica discovered the unusual repeated DNA sequences at the core of today’s gene-editing revolution. This pioneer who named CRISPR will be in conversation with Merlin Crossley, Professor of Molecular Biology and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at UNSW Sydney. Don’t miss your chance to join these two scientific luminaries as they explore the history of CRISPR, from Mojica’s ground-breaking discovery to the genome-editing technique that could potentially cure diseases like sickle cell anaemia, muscular dystrophy, and HIV.
Venue: The Law Theatre, Ground Floor, Law Building, UNSW Kensington, NSW 2052 , (Building E10) Venue map
Dr Francisco Mojica is a celebrated Spanish microbiologist who discovered and named CRISPR, a family of DNA sequences in bacteria and archaea. CRISPR and its development for gene editing rank among the most important scientific discoveries of this century, with powerful potential applications in everything from medicine to agriculture. Dr Mojica is a leader in Microbiology at the University of Alicante in Spain. His cutting-edge research has garnered global media attention and earned him a string of prestigious awards, including the Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research, the Rey Jaime I Basic Research Prize, and the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Biomedicine. Francisco Mojica was awarded the PLuS Alliance Prize for Global Innovation in 2017.
Merlin Crossley is a Professor of Molecular Biology and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at UNSW Sydney. He has trained or worked at the University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, Oxford, and Harvard, and joined UNSW Sydney as Dean of Science in 2010. He specialises in genetic diseases, and recently used CRISPR-mediated gene editing in a landmark study that could lead to new therapies for sickle cell anaemia and other blood disorders. As well as leading a laboratory, he is an enthusiastic teacher and science communicator who contributes frequent articles on science, education and policy. He has served on the boards of the Australian Museum, the Sydney Institute of Marine Science, the Australian Science Media Centre, NewSouth Publishing, and is on the editorial board of The Conversation and BioEssays.
