person1954–

George Church

Disciplines:

Summary

American geneticist at Harvard Medical School — who co-pioneered next-generation DNA sequencing, CRISPR gene editing applications, and synthetic biology — one of the most prolific inventors in biology with over 100 patent applications — proponent of de-extincting woolly mammoths.

Core Contribution

Co-creates the methodological infrastructure of modern genomics — Church's Personal Genome Project (sequencing diverse human genomes), his CRISPR applications, and his synthetic biology work have produced more commercially viable genomics tools than any other academic lab.

Key Spikes & Highlights

Has narcolepsy and reportedly falls asleep during conversations — he has used this neurological condition to experiment on himself (as part of a personal genome project approach) and considers it a productive source of insight into sleep and consciousness
Proposed de-extincting woolly mammoths by editing Asian elephant genomes — the project (Colossal Biosciences) raised $75M and became the most high-profile application of CRISPR to de-extinction; whether it produces a true mammoth is debated but the gene editing techniques developed will be broadly applicable

Notable Works & Achievements

Regenesis

Hundreds of scientific papers

Historical Influences

Walter Gilbert Frederick Sanger

Intellectual Lineage

MacDill Air Force Base, Florida Duke Harvard Harvard Medical School

Contemporaries & Peers

Jennifer Doudna Feng Zhang Craig Venter

Minds Influenced

Genomics and synthetic biology

Intellectual Posterity

Personal Genome Project CRISPR applications Woolly mammoth de-extinction Church lab genomics tools

Discussing

George Church

Ask anything about George Church — their ideas, influences, contradictions, legacy.

person1954–

George Church

Disciplines:

Summary

Core Contribution

Key Spikes & Highlights

Has narcolepsy and reportedly falls asleep during conversations — he has used this neurological condition to experiment on himself (as part of a personal genome project approach) and considers it a productive source of insight into sleep and consciousness
Proposed de-extincting woolly mammoths by editing Asian elephant genomes — the project (Colossal Biosciences) raised $75M and became the most high-profile application of CRISPR to de-extinction; whether it produces a true mammoth is debated but the gene editing techniques developed will be broadly applicable

Notable Works & Achievements

Regenesis

Hundreds of scientific papers

Historical Influences

Walter Gilbert Frederick Sanger

Intellectual Lineage

MacDill Air Force Base, Florida Duke Harvard Harvard Medical School

Contemporaries & Peers

Jennifer Doudna Feng Zhang Craig Venter

Minds Influenced

Genomics and synthetic biology

Intellectual Posterity

Personal Genome Project CRISPR applications Woolly mammoth de-extinction Church lab genomics tools

Discussing

George Church

Ask anything about George Church — their ideas, influences, contradictions, legacy.