Prashant Mali
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Prashant Mali | |
|---|---|
| Education | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (BTech, MTech) Johns Hopkins University (PhD) |
| Known for | CRISPR genome editing, RNA editing, synthetic biology, circular RNA technologies |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Bioengineering, Synthetic biology, Genome engineering, RNA engineering, Stem cell engineering |
| Institutions | University of California, San Diego |
Prashant Mali is a Professor of Bioengineering at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). His research focuses on genome and transcriptome engineering, RNA editing, synthetic biology, and stem-cell engineering. He has contributed to the development and application of CRISPR-based genome editing methods, RNA editing technologies, and circular RNA platforms for use in biological research and therapeutic development.[1][2][3]
Early life and education
Mali received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay), where his research focused on biomedical sensors.[1]He later earned a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, where his doctoral research emphasized human pluripotent stem cell engineering.[1][4]
He subsequently conducted postdoctoral research in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, where he worked on the application of CRISPR/Cas systems for genome editing in eukaryotic cells.[1][4]
Academic career
In 2014, Mali joined the faculty of the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California, San Diego. He is currently a professor in the Shu Chien–Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, where he leads a research laboratory focused on engineering approaches to genome and RNA engineering, synthetic biology, and stem cell biology, with applications in biological research and translational science.[1][2]
Research
Mali’s research spans several areas of biological engineering, with a focus on the development and application of genome and transcriptome engineering technologies. His work includes CRISPR-based approaches for genome editing, RNA editing strategies based on adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs), and the design of circular RNA platforms aimed at improving RNA stability and persistence for research and therapeutic use.[1][3][5]
A central component of Mali’s research program involves the use of human pluripotent stem cells as model systems to study gene regulation, cell fate specification, and disease-related cellular processes. His laboratory integrates methods from synthetic biology, genome and RNA engineering, and stem-cell biology to investigate both normal developmental pathways and aberrant cellular states associated with disease.[1][3]
Mali’s work on RNA editing technologies has contributed to broader efforts to develop alternatives to permanent DNA modification for therapeutic applications. In a 2024 article in the journal Science examining emerging RNA-editing therapies, Mali described recent clinical results as “a milestone for the RNA editing field” and emphasized that efficient delivery remains a major technical challenge for RNA-editing–based treatments.[6]
Entrepreneurship and translational work
Mali has been involved in the formation and advising of biotechnology companies focused on the translational application of genome and RNA engineering technologies.
He is a co-founder of Shape Therapeutics, a biotechnology company working on RNA editing and gene therapy technologies.[7][8]
Mali is also a co-founder of Boundless Bio, which focuses on genome-driven approaches to cancer research and precision oncology.[9][10]
Recognition
Mali was elected a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in 2023 for contributions to genome and RNA engineering with translational applications.[11]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Prashant Mali | Jacobs School of Engineering". jacobsschool.ucsd.edu. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Home". mali.ucsd.edu. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Prashant Mali | UCSD Profiles". profiles.ucsd.edu. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Prashant Mali, Ph.D." Boundless Bio. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
- ↑ "Closing the RNA Loop Holds Promise for More Stable, Effective RNA Therapies". today.ucsd.edu. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
- ↑ Kaiser, Jocelyn (2024). "Buoyed by 'milestone' clinical result, RNA editing is poised to treat diseases". Science. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
- ↑ FinSMEs (2019-11-05). "Shape Therapeutics Raises $35.5M in Series A Financing". FinSMEs. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
- ↑ "Shape Therapeutics, Inc". BIO International Convention 2025. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
- ↑ "Boundless Bio". Boundless Bio. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
- ↑ "Boundless Bio | Piper Sandler". www.pipersandler.com. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
- ↑ "UC San Diego Engineering Professors Elected Fellows of National Academy of Inventors". today.ucsd.edu. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
External links
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