Fatwa Adikusuma

Dr Fatwa Adikusuma

Externally-Funded Research Fellow (B)

School of Biomedicine

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Dr. Fatwa Adikusuma is the Group Leader of the Gene Editing Technology and Therapeutics Laboratory at the University of Adelaide and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), supported by an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Level 2 Investigator Grant.

Dr. Adikusuma completed his PhD at the University of Adelaide under the supervision of Prof. Paul Thomas and is currently an ARC DECRA Fellow (2023–2025). He was previously a CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform Fellow (2018–2021). His research focuses on developing CRISPR gene editing techniques and strategies to enhance gene editing efficiency and precision. He is also dedicated to translating CRISPR technologies into therapeutic applications for genetic diseases, including Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), Retinitis Pigmentosa, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, and Cystic Fibrosis.

Beyond academia, Dr. Adikusuma is the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Gene Editing Therapeutics Pty Ltd (GETx), a biotech startup spun out from the University of Adelaide, with a mission to bring CRISPR-based gene therapies to patients in need.

He has received numerous accolades, including the Early Career Researcher (ECR) Award from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide (2022), and the ECR Award from SAHMRI (twice in 2018 and 2022). He was also a finalist for the University of Adelaide ECR Award, recognizing his contributions to the field of gene editing and therapeutic innovation.

My research program is focused on developing CRISPR genome editing technology particularly for its use in mammalian cells and in mice. I explore CRISPR strategies that promote predictable and efficient DNA editing outcomes. For example, I invented the strategies to eliminate an entire chromosome using CRISPR genome editing (Adikusuma et al Molecular Therapy 2017). I also discovered an easy way to generate precise gene-edited mouse embryos using the Nuclease Prime Editor. My research also studies how we can efficiently and effectively create genomic mutations using CRISPR technology and develop the CRISPR tools (constructs) to achieve the goal. Additionally, I study the repair outcomes (mutations) generated after DNA breaks induced by CRISPR endonuclease. For example, we found that CRISPR-Cas9 cleavage often induces large deletions (Adikusuma et al Nature 2018). The main goal of my research is to create knowledge and technology on genome editing that is widely used for vast applications such as basic research and therapeutics. My research projects also focus on developing highly effective CRISPR therapy for genetic diseases such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), Retinitis Pigmentosa, and Cystic Fibrosis. We use mammalian cells and animal preclinical models to test our CRISPR techniques in order to find the perfect formula that can effectively cure genetic diseases. Ultimately, the research is expected to develop CRISPR therapies for use in humans to provide treatments for patients.

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2018 - ongoing Research Fellow University of Adelaide, Adelaide
    2017 - 2018 Postdoctoral Researcher University of Adelaide, Adelaide

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2024 Research Award Faculty Early Grant Award University of Adelaide, Faculty of Health and Medical Science Australia $25,000
    2023 Award ARC DECRA 2023 (Discovery Early Career Research Award) Australian Research Council (ARC) Australia -
    2022 Award SAHMRI 2022 Early Career Researcher Award South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute Australia -
    2022 Award 2022 Faculty Emerging Leader Development Award University of Adelaide, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences Australia -
    2022 Award Early Career Researcher Executive Dean Award (2022) Faculty of Health and Medical Science Australia -
    2021 Award Faculty Emerging Leader Development Award Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Adelaide Australia -
    2018 Award Early Career Researcher Award SAHMRI Australia -
    2018 Fellowship CSIRO SynBio Fellowship CSIRO, University of Adelaide and SAHMRI Australia -

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia PhD (awarded in Jan 2018)

  • Research Interests
    Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Gene and Molecular Therapy
  • NHMRC EL2 Investigator Grant (2026-2030): $1,623,700
  • Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Early Researcher Career Award (DECRA, 2023-2025): $458,238
  • CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform Fellowship (2018-2021): $489,768
  • 2022 University of Adelaide, Faculty of Health & Medical Science Emerging Leaders Development (FHMS ELD) Award ($38,974).
  • 2021 University of Adelaide, Faculty of Health & Medical Science Emerging Leaders Development (FHMS ELD) Award ($39,800).

- Advanced Research Platforms, Masters of Biotechnology

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 Principal Supervisor Developing highly efficient CRISPR-therapeutic strategies for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in Primary Myoblast and Humanised mice models Master of Philosophy (Medical Science) Master Full Time Mr Ryan Hao Bing Lee
    2023 Co-Supervisor Designing novel, mutant-specific Prime Editing therapeutic strategies towards treating autosomal dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Lachlan Graham Staker
    2023 Co-Supervisor Reincarnating the Retina: A Cutting-Edge Mutant Independent CRISPR Therapy for Genetic Eye Disease Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Jesse Georgina Kennedy
    2021 Principal Supervisor Improving Disease Therapy with the Application of Prime Editing Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Caleb James Lushington
    2021 Co-Supervisor Development of novel CRISPR/Cas9 therapies for genetic eye disease Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Ashleigh Geiger

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2020 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Development of CRISPR Therapies Targeting DMD Exon 51 for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Yu Chinn Joshua Chey
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