Traditional gene therapies often lack the precision needed to adapt to various cell types and disease states.
As a 2025 Schmidt Science Fellow, Serena plans to develop gene editing tools to precisely modify the genome only in specific cells or under certain disease conditions, enhancing efficiency and reducing off-target effects.
Serena’s goal is to use this technology to selectively eliminate harmful cells involved in autoimmune diseases, providing a precise and safe treatment option for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and type-1 diabetes. This can also be applied to a range of other diseases and used for diagnostics.
Serena will pivot from Biomedical Engineering to Genetics & Genomics