(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — The UC Davis School of Medicine is pleased to announce the appointment of David J. Segal as chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine. Segal holds appointments in the departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Pharmacology, the UC Davis Genome Center and the UC Davis MIND Institute.

“Dr. Segal is a nationally recognized leader in genome engineering and molecular therapeutics," said Susan Murin, dean of the UC Davis School of Medicine. "He brings more than two decades of groundbreaking research, visionary program development and a deep commitment to training the next generation of scientists to his role as chair.” 

Segal joined the UC Davis faculty in 2005. His work has produced foundational advances in gene-editing technologies, including ZFNs (Zinc Finger Nucleases), TALENs (Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases) and CRISPR/Cas9-based platforms.

Segal joined the UC Davis faculty in 2005. His work has produced foundational advances in gene-editing technologies, including ZFNs (Zinc Finger Nucleases), TALENs (Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases) and CRISPR/Cas9-based platforms.

Redefining what’s possible in ‘incurable’ diseases

Segal’s work is reshaping what is possible in treating neurological and genetic disorders once deemed “incurable.” He and his colleagues are developing targeted molecular tools capable of reactivating silenced genes, correcting gene dosage defects and repairing transcriptional dysfunction.

Rare genetic disorders targeted by his lab include Angelman syndrome, SYNGAP1 deficiency, ADNP syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1, and other neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.

“Although rare diseases are individually rare, collectively, they affect more people than cancer and AIDS combined,” Segal said. “But most have no treatments.” He notes that for him, finding cures for rare diseases is more than a scientific story.

“Working closely with the Angelman Syndrome community has allowed me to see the human side of the disease, including the tremendous need, the hopes of families and the responsibility of researchers to create therapies that can be accessible to those who need them,” Segal said. “These experiences have inspired my thinking about what we can accomplish together at UC Davis. I am excited to serve such a vibrant department in this new role.”

Dean Murin expressed gratitude to the interim chair. “We are grateful to Dr. Luis Fernando Santana for his outstanding leadership and guidance of the department as interim chair since 2021,” Murin said.

Segal has authored or co-authored more than 120 papers in peer-reviewed journals and holds 25 patents. He has received numerous prestigious grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), as well as awards from foundations and nonprofits.

In addition to his appointments at the UC Davis School of Medicine, Segal is an investigator in the NIH Somatic Cell Genome Editing Consortium and field chief editor of Frontiers in Genome Editing.

Segal received a B.S. in biology with honors from Cornell University, followed by a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Utah. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular biology at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif.

Segal served as an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology at the University of Arizona, Tucson, before joining the UC Davis faculty. He has had several leadership positions in his more than 20 years at the School of Medicine, including co-chair of the Integrative Genetics and Genomics graduate program and associate director of the UC Davis Genome Center.

Resources:

• UC Davis scientists pioneer stem cell gene therapy for Angelman syndrome
• $4 million research program seeks therapy for rare genetic condition ADNP syndrome
• California’s stem cell agency funds research into Angelman syndrome and bioprint pacemaker
• Researchers awarded $1.4 million to develop gene therapy for rare genetic condition