Get practical insight into CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing in primary immune cells and how it can be applied to study drug action in a physiologically relevant model.

Gene editing in primary human cells opens new possibilities for studying biological function and therapeutic mechanisms in a more physiologically relevant context, but technical challenges often limit its application. In this webinar, Dr. Judd Hultquist will walk through how his team used CRISPR-Cas9 and the Nucleofector® Platform to successfully edit primary T cells. The session will provide practical guidance for researchers interested in applying gene editing to biological questions, particularly those related to host-pathogen interactions and therapeutic mechanisms.

As a case study, Dr. Hultquist will share how his team used this approach to study lenacapavir, a long-acting HIV capsid inhibitor. Their work revealed a surprising role for the host factor CPSF6 in viral nuclear trafficking — helping clarify the drug’s mechanism-of-action and demonstrating how primary cell editing can uncover functionally relevant insights that might be missed in cell lines.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn how to perform CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing in primary cells using nucleofection


• Assess how to leverage gene editing platforms for in-depth functional studies


• Understand current successes and challenges in the fight against the HIV epidemic


• Consider the application of gene editing in drug mechanism-of-action studies