Nelson Hall, Ph.D., is a bioengineer and naturalist who combines a passion for unusual organisms with expertise in manipulating and engineering biological systems. He was introduced to Synthetic Biology while earning his bachelor’s degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he designed and tested synthetic genetic circuits to control cellular behavior by harnessing processes like exosomal biogenesis and CRISPR-based anti-phage defense.

During his Ph.D. at Stanford University, Hall delved into the world of flatworms, whose extraordinary regenerative abilities are matched by the difficulty of genetically manipulating them. His work led to the development of transient RNA-based expression methods in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea and advanced genetic and microscopy techniques for studying regeneration in the related flatworm Macrostomum lignano. At the Stowers Institute, Hall aims to leverage the diversity of organisms available to create and refine novel gene editing tools, advancing biological research in emerging model organisms.

Research summary:

Our understanding of biology is largely based on a limited set of model organisms, leaving the vast majority of life on Earth unexplored. A significant challenge in studying these 'non-model' organisms is the lack of genetic tools for manipulating their genomes, which limits the application of powerful techniques like live fluorescence imaging, gene knockouts, protein overexpression, and targeted mutagenesis. Hall's research focuses on identifying the determinants of successful genetic manipulation and developing cross-species-compatible gene editing tools. These advancements aim to enhance genetic tractability across diverse life forms, enabling biological discoveries in previously inaccessible areas.