David Russell

David Russell, M.D., Ph.D. is the former CSO and co-founder of Universal Cells Inc., a Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle, and a past president of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy. His research career has focused on developing improved methods for manipulating the mammalian genome, with the goal of creating new genetic therapies. David received clinical training in internal medicine, hematology/oncology, and bone marrow transplantation. His laboratory has made major contributions in the fields of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors, vector integration, insertional mutagenesis, and the genetic engineering of human stem cells. David discovered the rAAV-mediated gene-editing technology licensed by Universal Cells and has used this approach to engineer HLA genes in human stem cells.