Giovanni Carosso, PhD

CV

GIOVANNI A. CAROSSO, PhD
Life Sciences Operator | Research Engineer

San Francisco, CA  ·  gacarosso@gmail.com  ·  linkedin.com/in/giovannicarosso  ·  USA & Italian citizen

Professional summary

Bioengineer and biotech operator building ML-native drug discovery engines for epigenetic medicine. Led R&D from zero to multiple positive proofs-of-concept in vivo, enabling two financing rounds and a Novo Nordisk strategic partnership. Architected platforms behind EPI-321 (clinical-stage FSHD), EPI-331 (DMD), and a benchmark-beating pre-clinical pipeline of single-dose editors across diverse genetic targets (cardiometabolic, muscular, longevity). Deep domain expertise in epigenetic editing, protein LMs/engineering, predictive modeling, functional genomics, mRNA-LNP programs, target selection, technical strategy, and investor/pharma-partner diligence.

Technical Skills

Machine learning: self-supervised protein LMs (ESM-2 fine-tuning; pLM-guided MCMC over sequence space), deep generative design (Boltzgen, structure-conditioned), structure prediction (AlphaFold2-Multimer, Boltz-2, ESMFold), supervised sequence–function models, few-shot active learning, chromatin state classifiers (ChromHMM), Python, R.

Platform architecture/discovery: high-throughput CRISPR activation/inhibition, gene editing, genome-scale perturbation, proteomics & transcriptomics, multi-axis hit scoring, offline metrics & evals, NGS (RNA-seq, Hi-C, Perturb-seq), tech/IP strategy.

Payload/drug development: protein/mRNA engineering, in vivo mRNA-LNP delivery, in vivo pharmacology, pre-clinical trial design.

Experience

General Control · Jul 2024 – Jul 2026
Founding Head of Research
  • Built R&D platform delivering a best-in-class, novel epigenetic editor IP portfolio; achieved in vivo proof-of-concept in 12 months and advanced 6/7 pipeline programs to positive pre-clinical readouts in under 24 months, by resolving a hierarchical mechanism of epigenetic memory that unlocked novel targets for one-shot mRNA-LNP dosing.
  • Defined scientific strategy from pre-seed/concept and executed technical de-risk behind two capital raises and Novo Nordisk partnership; lead inventor on platform PCTs.
  • Architected ML stack (protein LMs, chromatin-state classifiers) and deployed it to generate novel editors and de novo binders; screened 10,000-element libraries; recovered novel hits in vitro and in vivo.
  • Scaled discovery throughput ~100× with a combinatorial peptide platform, isolating editors that outperform benchmarks across diverse genetic targets; advanced top trial candidates by predictive modeling.
  • Delivered >90% simultaneous knockdown of up to three targets with a novel mRNA-LNP liver-targeted payload in vivo, establishing multiplexed one-shot gene control as a platform differentiator.
Epicrispr Biotechnologies · Jan 2021 – Jul 2024
Senior Scientist (prev. Scientist II, Scientist)
  • Co-developed Epic’s GEMS discovery platform; engineered proprietary epigenetic editors including EPI-321, which has reported statistically significant gains in lean muscle volume, DUX4-suppression biomarkers, no serious adverse events in its first-in-human FSHD trial (NCT06907875). EPI-321 gained FDA IND clearance, Fast Track, Rare Pediatric Disease, and Orphan Drug designations, and drove $68M Series B followed by $90M Series C with crossover syndicate.
  • Lead author on hypercompact activator discovery (64–98 residues; five-week efficacy via single-dose mRNA-LNP), cited in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery (2025). Led protein-engineering campaigns producing the first-described mitotically durable gene activators; ~10× benchmark duration in vitro and in vivo via LNP delivery.
  • Established Applied Technologies team; raised pooled-screen hit rates by ~8×; generated the platform’s structured ML training corpus behind few-shot learning-based protein engineering with evolutionary sampling. NeurIPS (2023).
UCSF Dept. of Neurological Surgery · Jan 2020 – Dec 2020
Postdoctoral Scholar
  • Integrated Perturb-seq, PLAC-seq, ChIP-seq and Hi-C into a machine-learning classifier over genome-scale dual CRISPRi screens spanning 18,905 coding and 10,678 lncRNA loci, with the Weissman and Lim labs. Cell Genomics (2022).

Education

PhD, Human Genetics · 2019
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
  • Discovered molecular drivers in pediatric disorders of chromatin machinery (Hans Bjornsson Lab), novel roles for KMT2D in oxygen sensing during healthy vs. disordered neurodevelopment. JCI Insight (2019).
  • Secured NASA funding award for astronaut epigenetics in the ISS Twins Study Consortium (Andy Feinberg Lab); co-developed first protocols for in-flight epigenomic sampling aboard ISS and experiments for astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly.
  • Led a US Dept. of Defense-funded neuroscience program in Bolivia (Clubes de Ciencia Bolivia); published on roles for scientists as non-state actors of international diplomacy. Nature Human Behaviour (2019), Nature Communications (2020).
BS, Biopsychology · 2010
UC Santa Barbara
  • Behavioral neurobiology; published on mechanisms of dopaminergic dysfunction in drug abuse. Addiction Biology (2012).
  • Discovery of POLR3A mutations causing pediatric leukodystrophy (Children’s National Medical Center). AJHG (2011).

Communication

Patents

US 2024/0216482 A1 — Systems and methods for regulating aberrant gene expressions. Epicrispr Biotechnologies, Inc. App. 18/542,396; priority 2021-06-17; published 2024-07-04; pending.

US 2024/0254659 A1 — Systems and methods for regulating target genes. Epicrispr Biotechnologies, Inc. App. 18/417,827; priority 2021-07-20; published 2024-08-01; pending.

PCT/US26/24038 — Compositions and Methods for Epigenome Editing. Epi Labs, Inc. Filed 2026-04-16.

PCT/US26/24051 — Systems and Methods for Upregulation of Exerkines. Epi Labs, Inc. Filed 2026-04-16.

Additional US provisional and PCT filings pending publication.

Publications

  1. Carosso, G.A., Yeo, R.W., Gainous, T.B., Jawaid, Z., Yang, X., Cutillas, V., Qi, L.S., Daley, T.P., Hart, D. (2024). Discovery of hypercompact epigenetic modulators for persistent CRISPR-mediated gene activation. bioRxiv.
  2. Wu, D., Poddar, A., Ninou, E., Hwang, E., Cole, M.A., Liu, S.J., Horlbeck, M.A., Chen, J., Replogle, J.M., Carosso, G.A., Eng, N.W.L., Chang, J., Shen, Y., Weissman, J.S., Lim, D.A. (2022). Dual genome-wide coding and lncRNA screens in neural induction of induced pluripotent stem cells. Cell Genomics, 2(11), 100177.
  3. Zheng, S.C., Stein-O’Brien, G., Augustin, J.J., Slosberg, J., Carosso, G.A., Winer, B., Shin, G., Bjornsson, H.T., Goff, L.A., Hansen, K.D. (2022). Universal prediction of cell-cycle position using transfer learning. Genome Biology, 23(1), 41.
  4. Breevoort, A., Carosso, G.A., Mostajo-Radji, M.A. (2020). High-altitude populations need special considerations for COVID-19. Nature Communications, 11, 3280.
  5. Carosso, G.A., Boukas, L., Augustin, J.J., Nguyen, H.N., Winer, B.L., Cannon, G.H., Robertson, J.D., Zhang, L., Hansen, K.D., Goff, L.A., Bjornsson, H.T. (2019). Precocious neuronal differentiation and disrupted oxygen responses in Kabuki syndrome. JCI Insight, 4(20), e129375.
  6. Carosso, G.A., Ferreira, L.M.R., Mostajo-Radji, M.A. (2019). Scientists as non-state actors of public diplomacy. Nature Human Behaviour, 3(11), 1129–1130.
  7. Carosso, G.A., Ferreira, L.M.R., Mostajo-Radji, M.A. (2019). Developing brains, developing nations: can scientists be effective non-state diplomats? Frontiers in Education, 4, 95.
  8. Ferreira, L.M.R., Carosso, G.A., Lopez-Videla, B., Diez, G.V., Rivera-Betancourt, L.I., et al. (2019). Effective participatory science education in a diverse Latin American population. Palgrave Communications, 5(1), 11.
  9. Benjamin, J.S., Pilarowski, G.O., Carosso, G.A., Zhang, L., Huso, D.L., Goff, L.A., Vernon, H.J., Hansen, K.D., Bjornsson, H.T. (2016). A ketogenic diet rescues hippocampal memory defects in a mouse model of Kabuki syndrome. PNAS, 114(1), 125–130.
  10. Vanderver, A., Tonduti, D., Bernard, G., Lai, J., Rossi, C., Carosso, G., Quezado, M., Wong, K., Schiffmann, R. (2013). More than hypomyelination in Pol-III disorder. Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology, 72(1), 67–75.
  11. Ben-Shahar, O.M., Szumlinski, K.K., Lominac, K.D., Cohen, A., Gordon, E., Ploense, K.L., DeMartini, J., Bernstein, N., Rudy, N.M., Nabhan, A.N., Sacramento, A., Pagano, K., Carosso, G.A., Woodward, N. (2012). Extended access to cocaine self-administration results in reduced glutamate function within the medial prefrontal cortex. Addiction Biology, 17(4), 746–757.
  12. Bernard, G., Chouery, E., Putorti, M.L., Tétreault, M., Takanohashi, A., Carosso, G., Clément, I., Boespflug-Tanguy, O., Rodriguez, D., Delague, V., et al. (2011). Mutations of POLR3A encoding a catalytic subunit of RNA polymerase Pol III cause a recessive hypomyelinating leukodystrophy. American Journal of Human Genetics, 89(3), 415–423.