SaxoCell enters second phase of funding!
We are excited to share that SaxoCell has been chosen by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and an independent expert panel to receive funding for a second phase in the Clusters4Future initiative. This recognition underscores SaxoCell's potential and accomplishments as a leading cluster in the field of innovative cell and gene therapies.
The Buchholz Lab will continue to be part of SaxoCell – in the projects UniKT and Edit-Save.
TU Dresden press release
BMBF press release
SaxoCell website
Lukas Theo Schmitt honoured for his PhD thesis “Prediction of designer-recombinases for DNA editing with generative deep learning”
On 27 April 2024, the DRESDEN EXCELENCE AWARD was presented to four graduates of Dresden universities by Lord Mayor Dirk Hilbert who honoured their outstanding scientific theses.
Among the awardees is Lukas Theo Schmitt, who conducted his PhD research in Prof. Frank Buchholz's research group, for which he was honoured.
In his thesis, Lukas developed an algorithm to predict the activity for a class of enzymes that are used in precision genome editing. Using a generative deep learning approach called RecGen, he was able to generate new recombinases for specific genomic DNA target sites. Experimental studies confirmed the effectiveness of RecGen. A new method for precise sequencing of recombinases and counting of DNA editing events was also established to support the further development of RecGen.
German press release on Dresden homepage
Prof. Dr. Frank Buchholz receives Reinhart Koselleck grant for his project "Research into long-term epigenetic silencing modules to further develop the potential of therapeutic gene editing"
We are delighted to announce a Reinhart Koselleck project in our research group!
As part of its Reinhart Koselleck Programme, the German Research Foundation (DFG) has awarded Prof. Frank Buchholz a 1.25-million-euro research project on the topic "Research into long-term epigenetic silencing modules to further develop the potential of therapeutic gene editing".
DFG Reinhart Koselleck Projects create space for highly innovative and positively risky research. They offer outstanding scientists the opportunity to realise this kind of projects based on their special scientific achievements.
The selected project will screen for and molecularly characterize new epigenetic editors suitable for the long-term suppression of genes through. The advantage with this approach is that it allows for changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype without alterations to the underlying DNA sequence. Epigenetic silencing therefore offers potential clinical benefits that are independent of changes to the genetic code.
The research group of Frank Buchholz will establish an innovative platform in order to enhance the precision and effectiveness of therapeutic gene editing techniques. Furthermore, the new insights gained into long-term epigenetic silencing will likely extend our overall understanding of epigenetics, open up path to more sophisticated and targeted approaches for gene therapy and ultimately lead to more successful treatments for various genetic disorders and diseases.
Contributing with talk and posters to DG-GT's 30th Annual Meeting in Munich
Frank Buchholz and members of his research group attended the 30th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Gene Therapy (DG-GT), titled Nucleic Acid Therapeutics: Genetic Indications and Beyond held in Munich, March 6-8.
During the session on Novel Concepts in Genome Engineering, Frank Buchholz shared insights into the latest advancements in designer recombinases, highlighting the potential of next-generation tools in this field. Jenna Hoersten presented a poster focusing on the critical aspects of off-target analysis and mitigation strategies to enhance the efficiency of recombinases. Additionally, Duran Sürün unveiled his research through a poster on CRISPR-Associated Substrate-Linked Directed Evolution (CaSLiDE), a novel approach aimed at developing highly efficient and specific miniature CRISPR-Cas systems.
New Nature paper from our lab on groundbreaking genome editing tools unlocking new possibilities for precision medicine
Our new Nature Biotechnology paper "Activation of recombinases at specific DNA loci by zinc-finger domain insertions” has just been published!
It describes a newly developed method combining the power of designer-recombinases with programmable DNA-binding domains for creating precise and adaptable genome editing tools.
Congratulations to Liliya Mukhametzyanova, Frank Buchholz and the team as well as to Seamless Therapeutics!
Wirtschaftswoche "Start-up of the week"
Newspaper "Wirtschaftswoche" votes Seamless Therapeutics as "Start-up of the week".
In this newspaper feature, start-ups pitch their business idea. This time it's Seamless Therapeutics and expert Anke Cassing casts her vote on whether she would invest.
Read the full 1-page article here.
Link to Seamless Therapeutics website
New publication from our lab
Check out our brand-new publication on "Quantification of evolved DNA-editing enzymes at scale with DEQSeq".
Congratulations to everyone involved!
Frank Buchholz honoured for his commitment to transfer innovation from research to industry
On 6 September 2023, UNIPRENEURS honoured 20 outstanding professors & founders for their achievements in transfer of innovation who had been selected from 700 nominations.
Prof. Dr. Frank Buchholz, head of the Medical Systems Biology research group at the Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, is one of three prize winners from TU Dresden, along with Prof. Dr. Gerhard Fettweis and Prof. Dr. Karl Leo.
The award recognises Frank Buchholz’s enormous research success and outstanding contribution to the development of genome editing technology, especially with regard to possible therapeutic applications.
His research has already been awarded the GO-Bio Prize of the BMBF, among others. Last year, Frank Buchholz and his team around Anne-Kristin Heninger und Felix Lansing founded the Dresden-based start-up Seamless Therapeutics GmbH, whose technology platform reprogrammes recombinases for the purpose of repairing disease-causing genetic alterations.
Complete press release of TU Dresden
UNIPRENEURS LinkedIn (video clip)
Frank Buchholz and Seamless Therapeutics GmbH on designer recombinases competing with CRISPR
In our latest news release, Frank Buchholz (TU Dresden) and Anne-Kristin Heninger (Seamless Therapeutics GmbH) look at how designer recombinases have become a strong competitor of CRISPR. Explaining their research, Frank and Anne also show the enormous potential of designer recombinases.
Please find the complete MIT Technology Review article here (PDF, German)
Laborjournal on Seamless Therapeutics
In their news article in Laborjournal, the Dresden-based start-up Seamless Therapeutics reflects on programmable recombinases that operate independently of the cell's own DNA repair system and could thus in future make it possible to cure the disease haemophilia A, for which currently merely the symptoms are treated.
Frank Buchholz is a founding member of the start-up and head of the Medical Systems Biology research group at the Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus of TU Dresden, which developed the recombinase technology.
To the article in “Laborjournal”