Dr. Charles A. Gersbach is the Rooney Family Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Duke University, as well as the Director of the Duke Center for Biomolecular and Tissue Engineering. He also has appointments in the Duke University Medical Center in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology. His research interests are in the areas of genome and epigenome editing, gene therapy, biomolecular and cellular engineering, regenerative medicine, synthetic biology, and genomics. Dr. Gersbach received his Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine focusing on the genetic reprogramming of adult stem cells for musculoskeletal tissue regeneration. Dr. Gersbach completed his postdoctoral training at The Scripps Research Institute in molecular biology and biochemistry, focusing on developing new genome editing tools with applications in biotechnology and gene therapy. Dr. Gersbach’s laboratory at Duke University is focused on applying molecular and cellular engineering to applications in gene therapy, regenerative medicine, and basic science.  In particular, his research aims to develop new methods to genetically modify genome sequences and cellular gene networks in a precise and targeted manner. These new methods are then applied to correction of genetic diseases, directing stem cell differentiation, regeneration of damaged tissues, or answering fundamental biological questions regarding gene regulation and genome structure and function.  Examples of technologies used in his research include genome and epigenome editing, protein engineering, directed evolution, genetic reprogramming, gene delivery, and optogenetics.  Dr. Gersbach’s recognitions include the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the Hartwell Foundation Individual Biomedical Research Award, the March of Dimes Basil O’Connor Scholar Award, and the Outstanding New Investigator Award from the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy.