Gaurav Varshney, Ph.D.

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My Research

My research focuses on understanding the genetic causes of human diseases, particularly those affecting the brain and hearing. We use zebrafish as a model organism because of their genetic and developmental similarities to humans. We have developed advanced tools based on CRISPR, a revolutionary gene-editing technology, to precisely manipulate the DNA of zebrafish. This allows us to replicate genetic changes found in human patients and study their impact on disease development.

Our lab focuses on the development and optimization of advanced CRISPR-based genome editing methods. We are at the forefront of creating highly efficient base editors and expanding the CRISPR toolkit to enhance the functional analysis of genetic variants.

We delve into the mechanistic insights of novel candidate genes associated with a range of neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as hearing impairments. Our research aims to elucidate the genetic underpinnings and pathogenic mechanisms, facilitating the development of therapeutic interventions.

Our lab is pioneering methods to explore the functional implications of non-coding variants identified through genome-wide association studies. This research aims to uncover the regulatory roles of these variants and their contributions to complex human diseases.

In summary, our work utilizes cutting-edge gene-editing technology to investigate the genetic basis of diseases, with the goal of improving understanding and treatment of genetic disorders, especially those affecting hearing and brain function.

My Publications Lab Website

Research Keywords

Genetic diseases
Hearing loss
Neurodevelopmental disorders
Genome editing
Rare diseases

Why my research matters

We specialize in hearing loss and neurodevelopmental disorders such as intellectual disability and epilepsy. Our zebrafish disease models enable us to precisely trace how genetic variants disrupt the molecular machinery of development, from gene expression to organ function.

Lab Staff

"With 25,000 genes and countless possible mutations, finding the one change responsible for a child's condition is like searching for a needle in a haystack. Our zebrafish models help us find that needle and give families the answers they desperately need."