Jonathan K Watts

Jonathan K Watts is a Professor at the RNA Therapeutics Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School. He specializes in optimizing oligonucleotide therapeutics for brain and lung applications and advancing genome editing technologies for clinical use. His work has contributed to multiple oligonucleotide drugs in ALS trials. Key honors include the 2013 Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society Young Investigator Award and the 2015 Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Award.

Education:

• PhD in Chemistry (2008), McGill University
• BSc in Chemistry (2001), Dalhousie University

Research Interests:
Focuses on developing oligonucleotide-based therapies targeting neurodegenerative diseases and enhancing genome editing precision. His lab explores drug delivery systems, RNA biology, and clinical translation of nucleic acid technologies.

Publications:
Over 75 papers with 5,000+ citations, emphasizing advancements in antisense oligonucleotides and CRISPR-based therapies. Recent work addresses CNS drug delivery and prime editing optimization.

Awards:

• 2018 Angel Award for ALS Research
• 2015 Teaching Excellence Award
• Multiple fellowships and prizes for academic achievement

Lab & Collaborations:
Leads the Watts Lab, collaborating on projects like the N=1 Collaborative for personalized nucleic acid therapies. Mentors PhD students and postdocs in oligonucleotide design and genome editing.