Eric van der Helm is currently the head of synthetic biology and bioinformatics at SNIPR BIOME. He previously worked at the University of Washington (UW) in the USA on the computational design of protein-protein interactions involved in cancer immunotherapy in the group of David Baker. Previously, Eric was part of the Sommer lab at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) where he focused on the development of a novel platform for drug discovery using genetically engineered bacteria and CRISPR systems. Currently he is heading the synthetic biology research activities involving human microbiome modulation using CRISPR technologies.
SNIPR Biome is pioneering a novel use of CRISPR/Cas technology to address human diseases. We use our technology to selectively and precisely decimate target bacteria, while leaving the rest of the microbial community intact and unharmed. SNIPR Biome utilizes the natural bacterial CRISPR-based adaptive immune system in a programmable fashion to kill target bacteria based on their specific genomes. Our drugs are next-generation antibiotics harboring DNA-based CRISPR-Guided Vectors™ (CGV™ Technology) that cause double-stranded breaks in bacterial genomes and ultra-rapid killing in a matter of minutes, allowing rapid response in acute settings. SNIPR Biome raised last year $50M in one of the largest SERIES A in Europe from 4 large European funds to advance CRISPR-based microbiome drugs to human clinical trials.