The Genetic Code Expansion NIH-funded center, called GCE4All, at OSU is the global leader in making protein engineering technologies broadly available and fully reliable, which NIH intends to use for many of its initiatives. GCE4All's approach combines technology development, and optimization focused on funded NIH labs with broad and deep dissemination targeted on academic research.

The Genetic Code Expansion Plus (GCEPlus) initiative being developed through Impact Studio focuses on the commercialization of areas for OSU that synergize with the center's efforts and extend the impact of the center in four broad areas:

1. Commercialization of optimized Center technology and reagents that will advance Center dissemination efforts,

2. Commercialization of novel technology developed in the center that is tangential to Center goals,

3. Developing educational offerings that advance GCE knowledge and access globally, and

4. Developing a scalable model for engaging with industrial interest in GCE technology.

Genetic code expansion (GCE) is a powerful technology for engineering cells' translational systems to genetically encode new chemical functional groups into proteins. GCE enables researchers to manipulate cells to produce homogeneously modified "designer" proteins of unprecedented variety and unique properties and use these to precisely probe protein structure, function, and regulation. GCE carries enormous potential to advance and transform biomedical research, deepening understanding of basic life processes and disease pathogenesis, and yielding new, broadly applicable diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. However, despite already-impressive GCE accomplishments that proved GCE's feasibility and power, few researchers use even simple GCE approaches, and the more sophisticated, nascent GCE methods are accessible to only a handful of specialists.

The GCEPlus initiative will develop a commercialization strategy and a partnership model that creates a long-term leadership position for OSU.

Current Team