Branden Moriarity, PhD
Contact Dr. Moriarity: mori0164@umn.edu
Dr. Branden Moriarity is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology. He graduated from Saint Olaf College in 2007 with a BA in Biology, Chemistry, and Biomolecular sciences. He received his PhD in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology & Genetics at the University of Minnesota in 2012. From 2012-2014 he was a post doctoral fellow in David Largaespda’s lab, where he worked on identifying the genetics of pediatric sarcomas. He joined the Department of Pediatrics Faculty in 2014.
Dr. Moriarity runs a basic/translational research laboratory working to develop novel cellular therapeutics for gene therapy and cancer immunotherapy with the goal of translating new therapeutics to the clinic. To accomplish these goals, the Moriarity lab uses cutting edge genome engineering technologies, including CRISPR/Cas9, base editor technology, transposons, and rAAV. These tools allow for high frequency gene knockout, gene knock-in, induction of targeted sequence changes, and activation and/or repression of endogenous gene expression. Target cells for engineering include T cells, B cells, NK cells, Monocytes, and hematopoietic stem cells. In addition to developing cellular based therapeutics, the Moriarity lab also performs preclinical drug testing for pediatric cancers, such as osteosarcoma, in order to launch new clinical trials using antibody therapies rather than toxic chemotherapy.
Awards & Recognitions
- McKnight Land-Grant Professorship, University of Minnesota (2020-2022)
- Early Innovator Award, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota (2019)
- Innovator in Translational Research, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota (2018)
- Recipient of Courtland and Ellen Agre award for highest-ranked Chemistry student going on to graduate school (2007)
- Received HHMI international scholars summer research award (2006)
Education
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Faculty Member, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
Faculty, Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology (MICaB) Ph.D. Graduate Program
Faculty, PhD Program in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and Genetics
Faculty, Masters Program in Stem Cell Biology
Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN
PhD, Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and Genetics, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN
Research
Research Summary/Interests
Preclinical Drug Testing, Genome Engineering, Gene Therapy, and Cancer Immunotherapy.
Dr. Moriarity runs a basic/translational research laboratory working to develop novel cellular therapeutics for gene therapy and cancer immunotherapy with the goal of translating new therapeutics to the clinic. To accomplish these goals the Moriarity lab uses cutting edge genome engineering technologies including CRISPR/Cas9, base editor technology, transposons, and rAAV. These tools allow for high frequency gene knockout, gene knock-in, induction of targeted sequence changes, and activiation and/or repression of endogenous gene expression. Target cells for engineering include T cells, B cells, NK cells, Monocytes, and hematopoietic stem cells. In addition to developing cellular based therapeutics, the Moriarity lab also performs preclinical drug testing for pediatric cancers, such as osteosarcoma, in order to launch new clinical trials using antibody therapies rather than toxic chemotherapy.