Sam Hogan

• CDT Doctoral Researcher Supervisor: Steve Wedge
• Email: S.Hogan2@newcastle.ac.uk
• Project Title: CRISPR Screen Multiplexing for Uncharacterised Region Function (SMURF)

Institution: Newcastle University

Project Summary: Multiplexed CRISPR-Cas9 knockout screens have demonstrated that cell viability differs depending upon the specific location that strand breaks are introduced into a gene sequence. This indicates that not all exons are essential to protein function and are therefore unlikely to confer therapeutic benefit if pursued as drug targets. Using CDK2 as a model target, I will evaluate whether knockout screening can consistently and reliably identify exons critical to protein function. If successful this technique will be applied to uncharacterised gene sequences of novel targets, providing informative structural and functional data for small molecule therapeutic inhibitor development. 

Interesting Fact: I ate burritos every single day for a year when I first moved to university.