Dr. Zhang played an integral role in the development of two revolutionary molecular technologies: optogenetics, which lets researchers control neurons with light to learn more about how the brain works, and CRISPR-Cas9-based gene editing, which allows researchers to make precise changes to the DNA in living cells. He and his team have adapted multiple other CRISPR systems for use as genome and transcriptome engineering tools, as well as developed a number of applications of CRISPR systems including high-throughput genome screening, gene insertion, and detection of nucleic acids.
Dr. Zhang’s long-term goal is to develop novel therapeutic strategies for complex diseases without a single underlying genetic change. Tackling brain diseases, specifically, has been a goal since college, when he saw friends suffering from severe mental illness.