Excited to share my last major PhD work from the @SternbergLab. We discovered a mechanism that initiates transcription at programmable sites, without requiring promoter sequences - a novel mode of transcription regulation in bacteria.

Nature research paper: Exapted CRISPR–Cas12f homologues drive RNA-guided transcription go.nature.com/3P0wiNu

Nature research paper: Structural basis of RNA-guided transcription by a dCas12f–σE–RNAP complex go.nature.com/3MXvicv

Our 2 papers on RNA-guided transcription are now out @Nature. This mechanism re-writes the traditional concept of bacterial transcription and allows RNA transcripts to be generated de novo from potentially any cellular DNA sequence. 🧬 See below for links and thread 🧵

Genome maintenance by telomerase is a fundamental process in nearly all eukaryotes. But where does it come from? Today, we report the discovery of telomerase homologs in a family of antiviral RTs, revealing an unexpected evolutionary origin in bacteria. doi.org/10.1101/2025.10.16.6…

In parallel to our RNA-guided transcription biology story, we collaborated with @LeifuChangLab and determined how Cas12f interacts with a Sigma factor to recruit RNA polymerase. See their thread on the magnificent dCas12f-Sigma-RNAP structure below:

Know the feeling when two things look similar, and yet turn out to be quite different? Seems like defense-associated reverse transcriptases will continue to surprise us... Another thrilling story uncovered in collaboration with @WiedenheftLab! Check it out:

Thrilled, and also in a bit of disbelief, to see our paper featured on the cover of @ScienceMagazine! "Finding Neo" wasn't easy, but we just kept swimming (read: stared at a sequence of DNA) until the Eureka moment hit.

Huge congratulations to the most brilliant scientist I‘ve met so far - @shsternberg. Hard to come across a more dedicated PI and mentor - I can‘t even imagine the amazing discoveries this will enable you and the whole @SternbergLab to make in the future! 🧬 🎉

Preprint alert 🚨 from the @SternbergLab ‘De novo gene synthesis by an antiviral reverse transcriptase’: new central-dogma-expanding work led by @stephentang23 is now online! You won’t want to miss this thread: biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/…

Not a single week without a new paper from the @SternbergLab: led by bioinformatics star @TannerWiegand Bacteria use ancestral CRISPR-Cas genes as transcription factors!#crispr Emergence of RNA-guided transcription factors via domestication of transposon-encoded TnpB nucleases

New paper on CRISPR-associated transposons (type V-K) from our lab is now out @ScienceMagazine! @jerrintgeorge describes how to make this CAST system extremely specific. Exciting times @shsternberg @SternbergLab 🧬

In a major milestone for science, for medicine, and for patients, the world’s first CRISPR drug has been approved in the UK. “A new treatment for sickle-cell disease and transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia has been authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for patients aged 12 and over after a rigorous assessment of its safety, quality and effectiveness.” Congratulations to the many scientists, doctors, patients, and industry leaders who made this development possible.🍻 gov.uk/government/news/mhra-…

We're hiring! Join the Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics department here at Columbia, in wonderful NYC, and pursue your best scientific ideas amidst fantastic colleagues and a growing community. Happy to answer any questions about the department or application process.

Thrilled to see our latest work published this week, on the essential roles of IscB/TnpB -- ancestral homologs of Cas9/Cas12 -- in transposon maintenance & spread. A wonderful team effort led by the talented Chance Meers! Thread on bioRxiv version below... nature.com/articles/s41586-0…

New paper from our lab @shsternberg, led by Chance Meers Ph.D., is now online @Nature! We explored the ancestors of the genome editors Cas9 and Cas12 (IscB & TnpB) and their importance for transposon spread. Fortunate to be part of this team!

What a blast we had at @ColumbiaCMBS’s first off-site retreat post C.! Great science presented by the PhD students, community building & fun activities in an unforgettable Gatsby setting. Thank you for making this possible @Columbia! What a start for the new first year PhDs.

What a day! We had such a blast sharing our science with middle-schoolers in Long Island, at the inaugural Cutting-Edge Science Camp! Big shout-out to all the volunteers from @Columbia, and to @SawickiScience @jameshmccabe @dharls1 @WenWanso and all the teachers from East Meadow!