Sickle cell disease is an inherited recessive disease, caused by a single nucleotide polymorphism in Beta-globin (HBB). The modified hemoglobin causes normally round red blood cells to take on a sticky, sickle-shaped form. Sickle red blood cells clog blood vessels, causing acute pain “crises” and vasculopathy. Additional complications and consequences associated with sickle cell disease include organ damage, organ failure, increased risk of stroke, pulmonary hypertension, acute chest syndrome (ACS), and decreased lifespan. There is no widely available cure for sickle cell disease. Treatments include allogeneic bone marrow transplants, which can be risky and limited by donor availability. UC Berkeley researchers and others have created a method of modifying a globin gene in the genome of a hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (HSPCs) by obtaining HSPCs from an individual with a globin gene having a sickle cell disease (SCD)-associated single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) to generate an in vitro population of CD34+ HSPCs and then contacting the in vitro population with a genome editing composition, as described in further detail below. 

Charge detection mass spectrometry (CDMS) measurements of individual ions using either Orbitrap or electrostatic ion trap-based instruments have heretofore been performed under ultra-high vacuum conditions (10-9 Torr or lower). The rationale for this expensive and often cumbersome requirement is that these measurements need to be performed in an environment where collisions with background gas do not adversely affect the measurements.  UC Berkeley researchers have developed systems and methods  that enable accurate CDMS mass measurements at pressures that are as high as 1 × 10−4 Torr, multiple orders of magnitude higher than previously demonstrated. Consistent, accurate masses were obtained for pentameric antibody complexes (~800 kDa), adeno-associated viruses (~4.8 MDa), and both ~50 and ~100 nm diameter polystyrene nanoparticles (~35 MDa and ~330 MDa, respectively) at pressures ranging from 1 × 10−8 Torr to 1 × 10−6 Torr. 

Programmable base editors are a class of genome editing effector proteins that can make precise, targeted changes to DNA base pairs in a narrow window of genomic sequence without reliance on double-stranded breaks in chromosomal DNA. Base editor proteins include a deaminase fused to a CRISPR-Cas effector protein (e.g., nCas9). Base editor proteins are challenging to produce in high yields via recombinant expression in E. coli. This has limited its clinical use to mRNA/gRNA delivery; this is in stark contrast to Cas9 nuclease, which has been used in multiple clinical trials in its protein-based RNP format. There is a need for base editor proteins that are highly active and can be produced with high yield. Such is provided by the compositions and methods described herein. UC Berkeley researchers have overcome the limitations associated with producing a CRISPR-Cas base editor by creating a CRISPR-Cas fusion protein with the deaminase fusion protein.  

      Poorly designed healthcare environments can increase patient stress and delay recovery, particularly in pediatric settings (see, e.g., Devlin & Andrade 2017; Park et al. 2018; Jafarifiroozabadi et al. 2023). Traditional methods for gathering architectural design feedback, such as interviews, surveys, and focus groups, rely heavily on subjective user input, and often fail to capture the voices of children by relying on parent proxies. Physical mock-ups, a common alternative to traditional methods, provide a full-scale model of a room or space, often constructed from materials like cardboard or foam. While these mock-ups allow for some degree of spatial exploration, they are time-intensive, and limited in their ability to replicate real-world conditions; high-fidelity mock-ups which incorporate more realistic materials and finishes add expense and limit flexibility for testing multiple design iterations.       To overcome these challenges UC Berkeley researchers have developed an innovative participatory design methodology that leverages advanced virtual reality (VR), eye-tracking, and physiological/emotional biofeedback technologies to evaluate the design of pediatric healthcare environments. This comprehensive system is further enhanced by custom-developed workflows for creating dynamic, interactive room simulations that are randomized to ensure rigorous, unbiased data collection. The methodology is uniquely capable of gathering objective, quantifiable data on how pediatric patients and their families respond physiologically and emotionally to specific environmental design features.

An innovative technique for creating high-sensitivity Whispering Gallery Mode (WGM) sensors through advanced microbubble resonator fabrication.

A revolutionary optical technology designed to restore peripheral vision in patients with eye diseases through the integration of optical metasurfaces on eyewear.

A groundbreaking technology that efficiently transforms dilute CO2 streams into methane using sorbent materials and electrocatalysis.

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