The Genetics Podcast

Author: Sano Genetics

Exploring all things genetics. Dr Patrick Short, University of Cambridge alumnus and CEO of Sano Genetics, analyses the science, interviews the experts, and discusses the latest findings and breakthroughs in genetic research. To find out more about Sano Genetics and its mission to accelerate the future of precision medicine visit: www.sanogenetics.com
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Language: en-us

Genres: Natural Sciences, Science

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EP 226: Scaling AAV gene therapy: Engineering delivery, safety, and cost with David Dismuke of Forge Biologics and Steven Gray of UT Southwestern
Thursday, 12 February, 2026

This week on The Genetics Podcast, Patrick is joined by Dr. David Dismuke, Chief Technical Officer at Forge Biologics, and Dr. Steven Gray, Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center. They discuss the evolution of AAV gene therapy from academic labs to industrial-scale manufacturing, how vector design and capsid engineering are improving CNS delivery, and what manufacturing innovation and next-generation delivery technologies mean for safety, cost, and the future of gene therapy.Show Notes: 0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast00:59 Welcome to David and Steven01:47 David and Steven’s overlapping academic paths and long-term collaboration03:39 Steven’s research on AAV engineering for central nervous system (CNS) gene therapy04:50 Forge Biologics’ platform approach to scalable AAV manufacturing06:28 How AAV vectors are manufactured08:24 How CNS AAV vectors are designed, tested, and refined across programs10:58 How manufacturing quality and trial outcomes can shape AAV development decisions15:13 Factors that impact the ratio of full versus empty AAV capsids17:21 Manufacturing scale, capsid efficiency, and the future cost curve of AAV gene therapy24:19 Scaling AAV manufacturing for common diseases and the shift toward industrialized production models27:07 Engineered AAV capsids for CNS delivery and the tradeoffs between innovation and platform stability30:31 Next-generation AAV delivery and gene editing technologies34:41 Lessons from Jude Samulski on translating AAV science into real-world therapies37:21 Closing remarksFind out more: Forge Biologics