2025/11/06

CIC bioGUNE and Instituto Biofisika participate in pioneering European project on the evolution of CRISPR enzymes

The international project RGNcestry, awarded an ERC Synergy Grant, will study the evolutionary origins of CRISPR nucleases to develop more precise gene-editing tools and advanced molecular diagnostics.

CIC bioGUNE, member of BRTA, and the Biofisika Institute (UPV/EHU – CSIC) announce that the European Research Council (ERC) has granted funding to RGNcestry – Tracing and harnessing the ancestry of RNA-guided nucleases, a cutting-edge scientific initiative aimed at deciphering the molecular origins and evolution of CRISPR enzymes and leveraging this knowledge to create new gene-editing tools and molecular diagnostic methods.

The project is led by Chase Beisel from the Botnar Institute of Immune Engineering (Switzerland) and includes contributions from Samuel Sternberg (Columbia University, USA), Raúl Pérez-Jiménez (CIC bioGUNE, Spain), and Israel S. Fernández (Biofisika, Spain).

Awarded under the Horizon Europe program, the ERC Synergy Grant stands among the most competitive and prestigious research grants worldwide, fostering collaboration between leading international teams. In the 2025 call, only 66 consortia were selected from more than 700 proposals, with a total investment of €684 million. Hosting two of these subprojects in the Basque Country marks an unprecedented milestone that reinforces Euskadi’s position as an emerging global hub for CRISPR research and innovation.

The teams at CIC bioGUNE and Biofisika will contribute their expertise in molecular evolution, structural biology, synthetic biology, and molecular biophysics to understand how RNA-guided nucleases (RGNs), including CRSPR nucleases, emerged and evolved, and how these enzymes can be transformed into more precise, safe, and sustainable biotechnological tools.

“This grant is a remarkable achievement, but more importantly, it is a unique opportunity to advance the discovery of novel RGNs, including CRIPSR systems, and unlock new applications in biotechnology”, comments Raúl Pérez-Jiménez, Ikerbasque Research Professor and Principal Investigator of the Synthetic Biology group at CIC bioGUNE.

The project’s objectives include the evolutionary reconstruction of thousands of nuclease sequences, the functional characterization of ancestral variants on various DNA and RNA substrates, structural analysis and the development of applications in precision gene editing (for example, in Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)) and molecular diagnostics for pathogens such as Streptococcus agalactiae.

The project expects to reconstruct more than 1,000 ancestral enzymes and design chimeric variants, aiming to develop, unrestricted, PAM-free gene-editing systems and highly sensitive portable diagnostics.

CIC bioGUNE and Biofisika’s participation strengthens the Basque biomedical ecosystem’s role as a reference in molecular biology and biotechnology, promoting both fundamental research and the development of new gene therapies, accessible diagnostic technologies, and sustainable solutions for global health.

About CIC bioGUNE

The Centre for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), located in the Bizkaia Technology Park, is a biomedical research organisation conducting cutting-edge research at the interface between structural, molecular and cell biology, with a particular focus on generating knowledge on the molecular bases of disease, for use in the development of new diagnostic methods and advanced therapies.

About Instituto Biofisika

The Biofisika Institute (IBF), a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of the Basque Country (EHU), in collaboration with the Biofísica Bizkaia Foundation (FBB), specializes in the study of molecular and cellular biophysics. Located in the Bizkaia Technology Park and a member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), IBF conducts cutting-edge research at the intersection of physics, biology, and chemistry, with the aim of understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern biological processes and diseases. Through interdisciplinary approaches and state-of-the-art technologies, the institute contributes to the development of new diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies, promoting scientific excellence and collaboration at both national and international levels.

About Ikerbasque

Ikerbasque - Basque Foundation for Science - is the result of an initiative of the Department of Education of the Basque Government that aims to reinforce the commitment to scientific research by attracting, recovering and consolidating excellent researchers from all over the world. Currently, it is a consolidated organization that has 290 researchers/s, who develop their work in all fields of knowledge.

About BRTA

BRTA is an alliance of 4 collaborative research centres (CIC bioGUNE, CIC nanoGUNE, CIC biomaGUNE y CIC energiGUNE) and 13 technology centres (Azterlan, Azti, Ceit, Cidetec, Gaiker, Ideko, Ikerlan, Leartiker, Lortek, Neiker, Tecnalia, Tekniker y Vicomtech) with the main objective of developing advanced technological solutions for the Basque corporate fabric.

With the support of the Basque Government, the SPRI Group and the Provincial Councils of the three territories, the alliance seeks to promote collaboration between the research centres, strengthen the conditions to generate and transfer knowledge to companies, contributing to their competitiveness and outspreading the Basque scientific-technological capacity abroad.

BRTA has a workforce of 3,500 professionals, executes 22 % of the Basque Country's R&D investment, registers an annual turnover of more than 300 million euros and generates 100 European and international patents per year.

Spanish version