New lab opened for CRISPR screening in Cambridge

A new functional genomics screening laboratory has opened in Cambridge, U.K. This facility will focus on using CRISPR technology to study chronic diseases. The Milner Therapeutics Institute announced the launch, aiming to deepen the understanding of how genes are linked to diseases. Key figures from the Medical Research Council (MRC), AstraZeneca, and the University of Cambridge attended the opening. The lab is the first of its kind to provide wide-scale CRISPR screening for chronic diseases in collaboration with researchers across the U.K. It will help labs find new drug targets for diseases like cardiovascular, inflammatory, respiratory, and metabolic conditions. Initial projects partnering with the lab will explore liver regeneration and inflammatory bowel disease. Proposals from other research teams can be sent to the lab, with reviews occurring twice a year. Sir Tony Kouzarides, the director of the Milner Therapeutics Institute, expressed excitement about the lab’s potential. He emphasized the value of collaboration between academia and industry to improve diagnostics and treatments for chronic diseases. Patrick Chinnery from the MRC highlighted the lab's role in enhancing understanding of genetic impacts on health. He encouraged researchers to work with the lab, which is supported by MRC funding. Steve Rees from AstraZeneca also spoke about the importance of this new laboratory. He stressed the potential of functional genomics to advance knowledge of disease biology and create new therapies for chronic health conditions.