Claire Clelland, MD, PhD

Research Description

The Clelland lab at the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences develops novel therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. The lab is currently creating novel CRISPR gene therapies for genetic forms of dementia and ALS, utilizing patient iPSCs to model disease, advanced sequencing technologies and cutting-edge CRISPR technologies to develop first-in-class gene therapies for CNS diseases. The lab has major efforts in developing AAV and nonviral (lipid nanoparticle and peptide) delivery systems that target the CNS. The Clelland lab is committed to promoting equity and justice in science in medicine. One of the pillars of the Clelland lab is the mentoring and advancement of trainees from underrepresented backgrounds to become the next generation of scientific leaders.

Current Projects

1. Developing CRISPR gene therapy for C9orf72 FTD/ALS
2. Developing CRISPR gene therapy for MAPT FTD
3. Targeting genetic forms of Alzheimer's disease with CRISPR
4. Creating new AAV, LNP and peptide delivery vehicles for CNS targeting
5. High-throughput human tissue screening platforms for next generation therapeutics
6. Building better cell models of neurodegenerative diseases
7. Lipid dysregulation in neurodegeneration

Lab Members

Lab Website

Academic community service and committee membership:

DEI Champion training, Inclusive Research Mentor Course, CRISRP mini-course for MSII UCSF SOM, Research and Dissemination Committee UCSF Memory & Agin Center, Co-Chair of NIH Somatic Cell Genome Editing Consortium, SAB Epstein Collaboration, SAB ALS Network, NINDS ad hoc reviewer for special emphasis panels, Community of Underrepresented Physician Scientists (CUPS) mentor, Women Physician Scientist Supergroup, PROPEL mentor, SRTP mentor