Randall J. Platt is an Associate Professor of Biological Engineering at the ETH Zurich; Associate Professor at the University of Basel; Botnar Research Center for Child Health Investigator; and NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering Investigator. His aim is to develop genetic perturbation and cellular programming technologies for diagnostics and therapeutics primarily in the areas of brain science and the gut microbiome.

Randy’s major research interests include biological engineering, synthetic biology, functional genomics, and molecular medicine. His core research themes include engineering microbial cells to record and manipulate intestinal physiology and the gut microbiota (Schmidt, Nature, 2018; Schmidt, Science, 2022); the development of new gene-editing methods with a particular focus on in vivo and multiplexing applications (Platt, Cell, 2014; Platt, Cell Reports, 2017; Campa, Nature Methods, 2019); and high throughput forward genetic screening in vivo in animal models to identify disease drivers, diagnostic biomarkers, drug targets, and delivery vectors (Chow, Nature Neuroscience, 2017; Wang, Science Advances, 2018).

Randy’s research accomplishments have earned numerous distinctions, including the MIT Technology Review’s Innovators Under 35, Eppendorf Award for Young European Investigators, Stanisław Lem European Research Prize, EMBO Young Investigator, ETH Zurich Latsis Prize, Nature Research Award for Driving Global Impact, National Science Foundation Fellowship, Whitaker International Fellowship, and Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Scholar in Residence. He is an inventor on 100+ patents and patents pending and a co-founder of a biotechnology company in the area of engineered microbes and gastrointestinal therapeutics.