Fatwa Adikusuma

Research Interests

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Gene and Molecular Therapy

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 a molecular biologist and genome engineer dedicated to transforming the treatment of genetic diseases through precise and effective CRISPR-based therapies. His research focuses on harnessing and refining gene editing technologies to correct mutations that cause severe inherited conditions. Dr. Adikusuma’s work aims to uncover the mechanisms that influence CRISPR efficiency and precision, and to translate these advances into therapies for diseases such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), Retinitis Pigmentosa, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, and Cystic Fibrosis. By developing innovative strategies for gene correction, his team strives to restore health and improve quality of life for patients. He leads the Gene Editing Technology and Therapeutics Laboratory at the University of Adelaide and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). His research is supported by an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Investigator Grant, and he currently holds an ARC DECRA Fellowship. He was previously awarded a CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform Fellowship (2018–2021). Dr. Adikusuma’s contributions have been recognised with multiple Researcher Awards, highlighting his leadership in CRISPR innovation. Beyond academia, he co-founded Gene Editing Therapeutics (GETx), a biotechnology company focused on translating CRISPR research into clinical solutions. The discoveries from Dr. Adikusuma’s team are paving the way for a new generation of genetic medicines, with applications in treating previously incurable diseases, advancing genome engineering technologies, and shaping the future of precision medicine.

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.

Date Position Institution name
2025 - ongoing Group Leader University of Adelaide
2018 - 2025 Research Fellow University of Adelaide, Adelaide
2017 - 2018 Postdoctoral Researcher University of Adelaide, Adelaide

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 -

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

Year Citation
2025 Arthurs, A. L., Dietrich, B., Knöfler, M., Lushington, C. J., Thomas, P. Q., Adikusuma, F., . . . Roberts, C. T. (2025). Genetically edited human placental organoids cast new light on the role of ACE2. Cell Death and Disease, 16(1), 78-1-78-12.
DOI Scopus2 Europe PMC2
2025 Chey, Y. C. J., Gierus, L., Lushington, C., Arudkumar, J. C., B. Geiger, A., Staker, L. G., . . . Thomas, P. Q. (2025). Optimal SpCas9- and SaCas9-mediated gene editing by enhancing gRNA transcript levels through scaffold poly-T tract reduction. BMC Genomics, 26(1), 138-1-138-12.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC5
2024 Chey, Y. C. J., Corbett, M. A., Arudkumar, J., Piltz, S. G., Thomas, P. Q., & Adikusuma, F. (2024). CRISPR-mediated megabase-scale transgene de-duplication to generate a functional single-copy full-length humanized DMD mouse model. BMC Biology, 22(1), 214-1-214-15.
DOI Scopus4 WoS2 Europe PMC2
2023 Chey, Y. C. J., Arudkumar, J., Aartsma‐Rus, A., Adikusuma, F., & Thomas, P. Q. (2023). CRISPR applications for Duchenne muscular dystrophy: From animal models to potential therapies. WIREs Mechanisms of Disease, 15(1), e1580-1-e1580-26.
DOI Scopus15 WoS11 Europe PMC18
2022 Burbano, L. E., Li, M., Jancovski, N., Jafar-Nejad, P., Richards, K., Sedo, A., . . . Petrou, S. (2022). Antisense oligonucleotide therapy for KCNT1 encephalopathy. JCI insight, 7(23), 1-20.
DOI Scopus39 WoS38 Europe PMC48
2021 Adikusuma, F., Lushington, C., Arudkumar, J., Godahewa, G. I., Chey, Y. C. J., Gierus, L., . . . Thomas, P. Q. (2021). Optimized nickase- and nuclease-based prime editing in human and mouse cells. Nucleic Acids Research, 49(18), 10785-10795.
DOI Scopus66 WoS62 Europe PMC58
2021 Thomson, E., Dawson, R., H'ng, C. H., Adikusuma, F., Piltz, S., & Thomas, P. Q. (2021). The Nestin neural enhancer is essential for normal levels of endogenous Nestin in neuroprogenitors but is not required for embryo development. PLoS One, 16(11), e0258538-1-e0258538-16.
DOI Scopus2 WoS4 Europe PMC2
2020 Pfitzner, C., White, M. A., Piltz, S. G., Scherer, M., Adikusuma, F., Hughes, J. N., & Thomas, P. Q. (2020). Progress Toward Zygotic and Germline Gene Drives in Mice.. CRISPR J, 3(5), 388-397.
DOI Scopus25 WoS21 Europe PMC28
2019 Prowse, T. A., Adikusuma, F., Cassey, P., Thomas, P., & Ross, J. V. (2019). A Y-chromosome shredding gene drive for controlling pest vertebrate populations. eLife, 8, e41873-1-e41873-19.
DOI Scopus35 WoS32 Europe PMC29
2018 Robertson, L., Pederick, D., Piltz, S., White, M., Nieto, A., Ahladas, M., . . . Thomas, P. Q. (2018). Expanding the RNA-Guided Endonuclease Toolkit for Mouse Genome Editing.. The CRISPR journal, 1(6), 431-439.
DOI WoS5 Europe PMC4
2018 Adikusuma, F., Piltz, S., Corbett, M. A., Turvey, M., McColl, S. R., Helbig, K. J., . . . Thomas, P. Q. (2018). Large deletions induced by Cas9 cleavage. Nature, 560(7717), E8-E9.
DOI Scopus279 WoS274 Europe PMC277
2017 Adikusuma, F., Pederick, D., McAninch, D., Hughes, J., & Thomas, P. (2017). Functional equivalence of the SOX2 and SOX3 transcription factors in the developing mouse brain and testes. Genetics, 206(3), 1495-1503.
DOI Scopus20 WoS19 Europe PMC20
2017 Adikusuma, F., Williams, N., Grutzner, F., Hughes, J., & Thomas, P. (2017). Targeted Deletion of an Entire Chromosome Using CRISPR/Cas9. Molecular Therapy, 25(8), 1736-1738.
DOI Scopus72 WoS73 Europe PMC70
2017 Van Der Hoek, K., Eyre, N., Shue, B., Khantisitthiporn, O., Glab-Ampi, K., Carr, J., . . . Beard, M. (2017). Viperin is an important host restriction factor in control of Zika virus infection. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 4475 -1-4475-14.
DOI Scopus97 WoS95 Europe PMC84
2017 Adikusuma, F., Pfitzner, C., & Thomas, P. (2017). Versatile single-step-assembly CRISPR/Cas9 vectors for dual gRNA expression. PloS one, 12(12), 1-11.
DOI Scopus41 WoS39 Europe PMC62
2014 Piltz, S., Adikusuma, F., Hughes, J., & Thomas, P. (2014). Rapid generation of mutant mice using CRISPR-mediated genome editing (tips and tricks). TRANSGENIC RESEARCH, 23(5), 867.
- Arudkumar, J., Chey, Y. C. J., Piltz, S. G., Thomas, P. Q., & Adikusuma, F. (2024). CRISPR-mediated generation and comprehensive phenotyping of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy mouse models. BMC Methods, 1(1).
DOI

Year Citation
2020 Pfitzner, C., Prowse, T., Adikusuma, F., Piltz, S., Cassey, P., Ross, J., & Thomas, P. (2020). Safe development of CRISPR gene drives for invasive rodent population suppression. Poster session presented at the meeting of TRANSGENIC RESEARCH. SPRINGER.
2014 Piltz, S. G. (2014). Rapid generation of mutant mice using CRISPR mediated genome editing (tips and tricks). Poster session presented at the meeting of Transgenic Research. Ediburgh, UK: Springer.

Year Citation
2025 Geiger, A., Thomas, P., & Adikusuma, F. (2025). 2023326046, AGENT FOR TREATING OR PREVENTING A DOMINANTLY-INHERITED DISEASE. Australia.
2024 Geiger, A., Thomas, P., Adikusuma, F., & Staker, L. (2024). 2024902054, AGENT FOR TREATING OR PREVENTING A GENETIC DISEASE. Australia.

Year Citation
2024 Chey, Y., Corbett, M., Arudkumar, J., Piltz, S., Thomas, P., & Adikusuma, F. (2024). Megabase-Scale Transgene De-Duplication to Generate a Functional Single-Copy Full-Length Human DMD Transgenic Mouse Model.
DOI
2024 Arthurs, A., Dietrich, B., Knöfler, M., Lushington, C., Thomas, P., Adikusuma, F., . . . Roberts, C. (2024). Genetically edited human placental organoids cast new light on the role of ACE2 in placental development.
DOI
2024 Chey, Y., Gierus, L., Lushington, C., Arudkumar, J., Geiger, A., Staker, L., . . . Adikusuma, F. (2024). Enhancing gRNA Transcript levels by Reducing the Scaffold Poly-T Tract for Optimal SpCas9- and SaCas9-mediated Gene Editing.
DOI
2024 Arudkumar, J., Chey, Y. C. J., Piltz, S. G., Thomas, P. Q., & Adikusuma, F. (2024). Generation and characterisation of mouse models of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).
DOI
2021 Adikusuma, F., Lushington, C., Arudkumar, J., Godahewa, G., Chey, Y. C. J., Gierus, L., . . . Thomas, P. (2021). Optimized nickase- and nuclease-based prime editing in human and mouse cells.
DOI
  • 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

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2025 Co-Supervisor Basic research in Cancer Epigenetics Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Begona Nieto Fernandez
2025 Principal Supervisor Cutting-Edge CRISPR Therapies Targeting a Wide Range of DMD Mutations Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Sahal Sabilil Muttaqin
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

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2021 - 2025 Co-Supervisor Development of novel CRISPR/Cas9 therapies for genetic eye disease Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Ashleigh Geiger
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
2020 - 2025 Principal Supervisor DEVELOPING CRISPR-BASED GENOME EDITING THERAPY FOR DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Jayshen Christa Arudkumar

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