Sakina Petiwala
Papers
2
Total Citations
12
H-Index
2
About
Sakina Petiwala is a rising force in functional genomics, whose work is sharpening one of biology’s most powerful tools: the CRISPR screen. Her research centers on optimizing genomewide loss-of-function (LOF) screening, with a particular focus on overcoming the limitations of conventional CRISPR-Cas9 libraries. In her landmark 2023 study, which has already garnered 10 citations, Petiwala pioneered the use of AsCas12a and multi-guide arrays to dramatically improve the efficiency and specificity of these screens. This innovation addresses a critical bottleneck—the off-target effects and variable activity that can muddy results in traditional approaches—enabling more reliable discovery of gene functions in both normal physiology and disease. Her 2022 work laid the essential groundwork for this optimization, establishing a methodological framework that is now being adopted by labs seeking higher-fidelity data. By engineering a more robust and precise screening platform, Petiwala is accelerating the pace at which researchers can identify novel therapeutic targets and understand complex genetic networks. Her contributions are not just technical refinements; they are foundational advances that promise to unlock deeper insights into the genetic drivers of health and disease.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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