Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Gavin leads the Knott Lab at Monash University in the Biomedicine Discovery Institute.
Gavin has a long-standing interest in RNA biology. His research interests over the years have been centred on understanding the evolution of diverse proteins that recognise one of biologies most remarkable polymers, RNA. Originally from country Western Australia, Gavin obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Western Australia in the labs of Prof. Charlie Bond and Prof. Archa Fox where he was trained as a structural biologist. His Ph.D. project sought to understand the mechanisms of long non-coding RNA binding proteins involved in human innate immunity and paraspeckle formation.
After completing his PhD, Gavin accepted a position in the lab of Nobel laureate Prof. Jennifer Doudna at the University of California Berkeley. Here he leveraged his training as a structural biologist to investigate the mechanisms of RNA guided CRISPR-Cas immune systems. During his postdoctoral years he described structures of RNA targeting CRISPR Cas13 systems, the mechanisms evolved by phage to overcome CRISPR immunity, and the molecular basis for precision CRISPR Cas9 genome editing tools. During this time, Gavin was the recipient of the Sir. Keith Murdoch Fellowship from the American Australian Association (2018), the Australian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Boomerang Award (2019), the Lorne Protein Anders Young Investigator Award (2019), and an NHMRC Investigator Grant (2020), the latter of which attracted him home to Australia.
In early 2021, Gavin relocated to Monash University to set up his own lab in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The Knott Lab is using structural biology (X-ray crystallography and CryoEM) and nucleic acid biochemistry to tap into the evolved diversity of uncharacterised bacterial immune systems. His lab seeks to uncover the molecular details of how these novel bacterial innate and adaptive immune systems specifically sense foreign nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) to protect against infection. By uncovering how these remarkably diverse systems function, they hope to better understand their evolution and enable the development of next generation biotech tools for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
Contact Gavin if you are interested and want to learn more!
Research interests
- Structural biology of immune sensors
- CRISPR Cas adaptive immune systems
- Viral RNA sensing
- Bacterial immune systems
- CRISPR-diagnostics
- Next-generation biotech tool development
Education/Academic qualification
Biochemistry, Ph.D., University of Western Australia
Award Date: 12 Aug 2016
External positions
University of California Berkeley
Aug 2016 → Mar 2021
Research area keywords
- RNA
- CRISPR
- Structural Biology
- Cryo-EM
- RNA binding proteins
- Biochemistry
- RNA Biology
- RNA editing
- mRNA
Network
Projects
- 2 Active
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Next-generation CRISPR diagnostics for emergent infectious diseases.
1/03/22 → 31/12/24
Project: Research
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Cas13: Structure and mechanisms of RNA-targeting by CRISPR-Cas13a
1/01/20 → 31/12/24
Project: Research
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Accelerated RNA detection using tandem CRISPR nucleases
Liu, T. Y., Knott, G. J., Smock, D. C. J., Desmarais, J. J., Son, S., Bhuiya, A., Jakhanwal, S., Prywes, N., Agrawal, S., Díaz de León Derby, M., Switz, N. A., Armstrong, M., Harris, A. R., Charles, E. J., Thornton, B. W., Fozouni, P., Shu, J., Stephens, S. I., Kumar, G. R., Zhao, C. & 15 others, , Sep 2021, In: Nature Chemical Biology. 17, 9, p. 982-988 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access17 Citations (Scopus) -
Amplification-free detection of SARS-CoV-2 with CRISPR-Cas13a and mobile phone microscopy
Fozouni, P., Son, S., Díaz de León Derby, M., Knott, G. J., Gray, C. N., D'Ambrosio, M. V., Zhao, C., Switz, N. A., Kumar, G. R., Stephens, S. I., Boehm, D., Tsou, C. L., Shu, J., Bhuiya, A., Armstrong, M., Harris, A. R., Chen, P. Y., Osterloh, J. M., Meyer-Franke, A., Joehnk, B. & 12 others, , 21 Jan 2021, In: Cell. 184, 2, p. 323-333.e9 20 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access162 Citations (Scopus) -
Cancer-specific loss of TERT activation sensitizes glioblastoma to DNA damage
Amen, A. M., Fellmann, C., Soczek, K. M., Ren, S. M., Lew, R. J., Knott, G. J., Park, J. E., McKinney, A. M., Mancini, A., Doudna, J. A. & Costello, J. F., 30 Mar 2021, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 118, 13, 10 p., e2008772118.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access4 Citations (Scopus) -
Controlling and enhancing CRISPR systems
Shivram, H., Cress, B. F., Knott, G. J. & Doudna, J. A., Jan 2021, In: Nature Chemical Biology. 17, 1, p. 10-19 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
31 Citations (Scopus) -
CRISPR Gets Its Origin Story
Knott, G. J. & Lapinaite, A., Oct 2021, In: The CRISPR Journal. 4, 5, p. 631-633 3 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Other › peer-review
Prizes
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Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Prize (Level 3)
Knott, Gavin (Recipient), 2010
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences Medal
Knott, Gavin (Recipient), 2011
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Hackett Foundation Alumni Honours Scholarship
Knott, Gavin (Recipient), 2011
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Methods (Journal)
Gavin Knott (Guest editor)
2021 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial responsibility
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Science (Journal)
Gavin Knott (Peer reviewer)
2021 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Peer review responsibility
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Visiting Entrepreneur Program - ‘In science we trust’
Gavin Knott (Contributor)
10 Jun 2021Activity: Community Talks, Presentations, Exhibitions and Events › Public lecture/debate/seminar
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Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund Grant
Gavin Knott (Reviewer)
2021 → …Activity: External Academic Engagement › Grant review responsibilities
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NHMRC Investigator Grants
Gavin Knott (Reviewer)
2020 → …Activity: External Academic Engagement › Grant review responsibilities
Press / Media
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Walter Isaacson on Jobs, Jennifer & Genetic Code Breaking
20/04/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Researchers adapt cell phone camera for SARS-CoV-2 detection
10/12/20
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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New CRISPR-based test for COVID-19 uses a smartphone camera
4/12/20
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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UWA graduate supports work of Nobel Prize winner
1/12/20
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Researchers race to develop in-home testing for COVID-19, a potential game changer
20/10/20
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment