Scientist Feng Zhang recognition as a 2016 TIME Person of the Year contender

Scientist Feng Zhang recognition as a 2016 TIME Person of the Year contender

Feng Zhang, Pioneer in CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing, Recognized as TIME's 2016 Person of the Year Runner-Up

Feng Zhang, an esteemed researcher and a core member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, has been named a runner-up for TIME magazine's 2016 Person of the Year. His contributions to the development of the transformative CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing system have earned him this recognition.

Zhang shares this accolade with a select group of scientists, including Emmanuelle Charpentier from the Max Planck Institute in Berlin, Jennifer Doudna from the University of California at Berkeley, Carl June from the University of Pennsylvania, and Kathy Niakan from the Francis Crick Institute in London.

ASCending the ranks of the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences (BCS) at MIT, Zhang is a W. M. Keck Career Development Associate Professor and boasts a joint appointment in the Department of Biological Engineering. His work on CRISPR-Cas9 has revolutionized genomic research, offering a more precise and accessible approach to gene editing than ever before.

In 2013, Zhang and his team achieved a groundbreaking feat by successfully applying CRISPR-Cas9 to gene editing in mammalian cells. Since then, their landmark paper has become the most highly-cited work in the CRISPR field. The Zhang team has provided CRISPR-Cas9 components to over 30,000 laboratories worldwide and trained numerous researchers in using this innovative tool.

Jim DiCarlo, BCS department head, lauds Zhang as a visionary scientist. "His work on CRISPR-Cas9 has transformed biological science, enabling researchers to make targeted mutations in genomic DNA with unprecedented ease and precision," he says.

Before joining MIT and the Broad Institute in 2011, Zhang spent a year as a junior fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows. There, he collaborated with professors Paola Arlotta and George Church, first exploring gene editing as a focus of his research. In his doctoral studies at Stanford University, Zhang delved into the innovative technique of optogenetics, an approach that manipulates neuronal activity using light, alongside Karl Deisseroth and Edward Boyden.

Zhang's work has garnered numerous awards, including the National Science Foundation's prestigious Alan T. Waterman Award, the Jacob Heskel Gabbay Award in Biotechnology and Medicine (shared with Charpentier and Doudna), the Tsuneko and Reiji Okazaki Award, the Human Genome Organization (HUGO) Chen New Investigator Award, the Canada Gairdner International Award (shared with Charpentier and Doudna, as well as Rodolphe Barrangou from North Carolina State University and Philippe Horvath from DuPont Nutrition and Health), and the 2016 Tang Prize (shared with Charpentier and Doudna).

The CRISPR-Cas9 system has far-reaching implications in biological science. It has enabled researchers to delve deeper into genomic medicine and therapeutics, improve our understanding of the nervous system, and develop new approaches to treating neurological and psychiatric diseases. CRISPR-Cas9's application has expanded across various organisms, from plants to humans, offering a powerful tool for studying and manipulating genetic material.

1. Feng Zhang's work on the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing system, which includes engineers and scientists from various prestigious institutions like the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Max Planck Institute, University of California at Berkeley, University of Pennsylvania, and Francis Crick Institute, has revolutionized health-and-wellness research, particularly in the field of genetics.
2. The application of CRISPR-Cas9 in genomic research offers a more precise and accessible approach to gene editing, making it a transformative tool in the vast landscape of science and technology.
3. In 2013, Feng Zhang's team made a significant breakthrough by successfully applying CRISPR-Cas9 to gene editing in mammalian cells, a feat that has since become the most highly-cited work in the CRISPR field.
4. The components of CRISPR-Cas9, provided by Zhang's team, have been utilized in over 30,000 laboratories worldwide, fostering a deeper understanding and utilization of the technology for various scientific research.
5. James DiCarlo, the head of the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT, acknowledges Zhang's contributions, stating that his work on CRISPR-Cas9 has transformed biological science, allowing researchers to make targeted mutations in genomic DNA with unparalleled ease and precision.
6. Prior to joining MIT and the Broad Institute, Zhang spent a year as a fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows, working alongside professors Paola Arlotta and George Church on gene editing as a focus of his research.
7. The news of Zhang's contributions, as well as recognitions like the National Science Foundation's Alan T. Waterman Award, the Jacob Heskel Gabbay Award, the Tsuneko and Reiji Okazaki Award, the Human Genome Organization (HUGO) Chen New Investigator Award, the Canada Gairdner International Award, and the 2016 Tang Prize, continue to report his significant impact on the fields of biotechnology, medicine, and neuroscience.
8. The potential of CRISPR-Cas9 extends beyond basic research, with implications for the development of genomic medicine and therapeutics, advancements in our understanding of the nervous system, and strategies for treating neurological and psychiatric diseases.
9. The expansive reach of CRISPR-Cas9 has demonstrated its efficacy across various organisms, from plants to humans, providing a versatile tool for scientists and researchers worldwide in their pursuit of genetic advancements and breakthroughs.

Read also: