James Nuñez

James Nuñez is an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, in the Department of BIO. His research focuses on the regulatory principles of the human genome, particularly the molecular mechanisms underlying epigenetic memory and inheritance in mammalian cells. He investigates how cells establish and maintain the epigenome to regulate gene expression programs and genome organization, as well as how defects in these processes contribute to disease. His work combines functional genomics, CRISPR screens, cell biology, and biochemistry to explore these questions. Nuñez also develops CRISPR-based technologies for epigenome editing, enabling precise manipulation of DNA and histone modifications without altering the DNA sequence.

James K. Nuñez is a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, focusing on CRISPR-based genome engineering and its applications in biology and medicine. His work explores the molecular mechanisms of CRISPR systems, including spacer acquisition, adaptive immunity, and epigenome editing. Nuñez has developed multiplexed single-cell CRISPR screening platforms and investigated the functional roles of noncanonical open reading frames. His research also extends to programmable gene regulation, epigenetic editing, and the development of tools for tunable genome engineering. Additionally, he has studied the interaction between CRISPR systems and host factors, as well as the potential of CRISPR in combating viral infections such as SARS-CoV-2.