Speaker
Dr.ssa Immacolata Porreca
R&D Manager, Base Editing
Titolo seminario
Base Editing: Unlocking Safer, Precise, and Complex Genome Engineering for Therapeutics and Discovery
Abstract
CRISPR-based technologies have transformed genome engineering, yet their reliance on double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) poses challenges, particularly for applications requiring precision, safety, and multiplexing. Base editors have emerged as next-generation tools, enabling efficient and precise single nucleotide changes without introducing DSBs. In this seminar, I will introduce the principles of CRISPR-based genome engineering with a particular focus on base editing and its expanding role in therapeutic and research applications.
I will highlight Revvity’s Pin-point™ platform, a modular base editing system that leverages RNA aptamer-mediated assembly to deliver flexible, efficient, and specific base editing. This unique architecture enables sophisticated editing strategies—such as multiplexed gene knockouts and simultaneous knockout and transgene integration—while minimizing undesired effects on genome integrity.
Therapeutic applications of the Pin-point™ platform include streamlined generation of next-generation allogeneic CAR-T cells and hypoimmunogenic iPSCs, as well as efficient editing in sensitive stem cell populations like HSPCs and precise correction of pathogenic SNVs. In addition to its therapeutic potential, I will describe how base editing can be applied to functional genomics, enabling high-resolution pooled mutagenesis screens to map genotype-phenotype relationships, identify drug-variant interactions, and accelerate target discovery.
Together, these developments position base editing—and the Pin-point™ platform in particular—as a versatile platform poised to advance both precision medicine and fundamental genetic research.
Disclaimer:
Pin-point™ Technology Platform: The Pin-point™ base editing platform technology is available for clinical or diagnostic study and commercialization under a commercial license from Revvity.
Biography
Immacolata Porreca is a molecular and cellular biologist with over 15 years of experience across academia and industry. After earning her PhD in Genetic and Molecular Medicine in Italy, she held research positions in Italy and the UK, working on developmental biology, environmental toxicology, and host-virus interactions. Transitioning into biotechnology, she specialized in gene editing technologies, with a focus on CRISPR and base editing for cell and gene therapy applications. Now R&D Manager at Revvity, Imma leads multidisciplinary teams developing innovative genome engineering solutions. She is passionate about translating scientific innovation into therapeutic opportunities to improve human health.