Precision CRISPR Editing of Enhancer Elements in Human Stem Cells
James Okafor, Lin Zhou, Emma Richardson
Nat Biotech2024
Journal Article
124About
I am a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Oxford, where I lead the Genome Engineering & Epigenetics Lab.
Our research focuses on understanding how genomes are organized and regulated in stem cells, and developing novel CRISPR-based tools for precise genome editing. We combine experimental approaches with computational genomics to study the interplay between chromatin structure, transcription factor binding, and gene expression.
I am a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and recipient of the 2022 Francis Crick Medal.
Education
PhD in Molecular Genetics
University of Cambridge, Genetics
2010 - 2014
Cambridge, UK
Thesis: Epigenetic Control of Lineage Commitment in Stem Cells
BSc (First Class) in Biochemistry
University of Lagos
2006 - 2010
Lagos, Nigeria
Experience
Professor in Computer Science
University of Oxford, Biochemistry
2021 - Present
Oxford, UK
Postdoctoral Fellow
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
2014 - 2018
Cambridge, MA
Publications
3,450
Citations
42
h-index
58
i10-index
Featured
2023
Single-Cell Multi-Omics Reveals Epigenetic Heterogeneity in AML
Emma Richardson, James Okafor, Ahmed Hassan
Nat Genet2023
Journal Article
892022
The Expanding CRISPR Toolbox: From Gene Knockout to Epigenome Editing
James Okafor, Lin Zhou
Annu Rev Biochem2022
Journal Article
430Grants & Funding
Active Grants
Foundations of Faithful Reasoning in Language Models
National Science Foundation (NSF)
PI
$750,0002023–2026Developing training methods and evaluation frameworks for improving logical consistency in large language models.
Human-Aligned NLP Systems
DARPA
Co-PI
$1,200,0002022–2025Multi-institution project on building NLP systems that align with human values and intentions.
Awards & Honors
MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35
MIT Technology Review2023
Recognized for pioneering work on faithful reasoning in AI systems.
Best Paper Award
NeurIPS 20242024
NSF CAREER Award
National Science Foundation2022
Early-career faculty award for research on interpretable language models.
Lab Members
Current Members
LZ
Lin Zhou
Postdoctoral Researcher
CRISPR delivery systems and editing efficiency
ER
Emma Richardson
PhD Student
Chromatin dynamics in hematopoietic stem cells
AH
Ahmed Hassan
PhD Student
Single-cell multi-omics in cancer
MS
Maria Santos
Research Assistant
Base editing protocols
Open Positions
PhD Student in LLM Reasoning
PhD Student
Postdoctoral Researcher — AI Alignment
Postdoc
Postdoc position on our DARPA-funded project on human-aligned NLP systems.
Requirements
PhD in NLP, ML, or related field. Publications in top venues.
Apply by June 30, 2025
Courses
Current Courses
BCH4001Advanced Molecular Biology
Fall 2024
Current
Graduate-level course covering modern genome engineering, epigenetic regulation, and single-cell genomics.
Past Courses
BCH2010Genetics and Genomics
Spring 2024
Undergraduate introduction to genetics, genome structure, and gene expression.
Announcements
Pinned
award
NeurIPS
NeurIPS 2024 Oral Presentation
Sep 15, 2024
Excited to share that our paper 'Scaling Faithful Reasoning in Large Language Models' has been accepted as an oral presentation at NeurIPS 2024!
Read morerecruiting
Looking for PhD Students — Fall 2025
Oct 1, 2024
I am recruiting 2 PhD students to start Fall 2025. Research areas: LLM reasoning, interpretability, and alignment. Please apply through the MIT EECS admissions portal.
Read moreMedia & Press
MIT Technology Review
The Researchers Making AI Think More Clearly
Article
Jul 20, 2024Feature article on our group's work on faithful reasoning in language models.
Lex Fridman Podcast
AI Alignment: Where Are We Now?
Podcast
Mar 15, 2024Conversation about the current state of AI alignment research and practical approaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact
Department of Biochemistry
University of Oxford