Professor Colin Johnson

In collaboration with the Vision Research Group, we are developing methodologies to interpret variant pathogenicity and cellular disease models using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing and retinal cell-types derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

My current research builds on my existing expertise in gene discovery, high content imaging and transcriptomics, supported by the infrastructure for bioimaging and bioinformatics at the University of Leeds. In particular, I am developing super-resolution microscopy imaging of the primary cilium using Affimers (a novel artificial binding protein technology developed at the University of Leeds). Reverse genetics, in the form of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, is also proving to be a very useful technology for further delineation of functional relationships in cilia, in combination with more conventional approaches using high content imaging. My future research seeks to further characterize new ciliary molecular pathways in human health and disease, and to develop our understanding of the basic biology of primary cilia through disease models like retinal and kidney organoids.