Directed evolution is a laboratory process that mimics natural selection to improve or create proteins and enzymes with new functions. In this lab version of "survival of the fittest" different versions of a protein compete against each other to reveal those that perform better at a chosen task (for example, activating heart regeneration). We have developed methods for hosting multiple rounds of this competition directly in human cells so that winning proteins can be advanced directly as therapeutic candidates.

Media

Protein evolution in mammalian cells may improve therapeutics (The Scientist)

New platform to evolve proteins for better therapies (Centenary)

Our Directed Evolution Publications

A chimeric viral platform for directed evolution in mammalian cells

Nature Communications. 2025. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59438-2

The VEGAS platform is unsuitable for mammalian directed evolution

ACS Synthetic Biology. 2022. doi.org/10.1021/acssynbio.2c00460