Nicola Dent (She/Her)

Executive Director

BLU GENES Foundation

The Blu Genes Foundation began from a personal mission: to find a treatment for Tay-Sachs disease, a rare and fatal genetic disorder. What started as one family’s search for answers quickly evolved into a broader purpose — to raise awareness and funds to advance gene therapy research and discover transformative treatments and cures for genetic diseases.
Today, Blu Genes is driven by the goal of bringing hope to families affected by one of the 7,000+ known genetic disorders. Through strategic investments in leading research initiatives, we aim to help change the course of these diseases and improve outcomes for generations to come.
We proudly partner with world-renowned institutions to accelerate research and development in gene therapy. Our early support of the University of Massachusetts helped launch the world’s first clinical trial for Tay-Sachs disease, successfully treating nine patients and laying the foundation for next-generation therapies.
At the SickKids Research Institute, Blu Genes is funding a dedicated team focused on gene-editing approaches to Tay-Sachs. This team has already achieved multiple world-firsts, including the development of humanized mouse models and the identification of targeted markers for CRISPR-Cas9 and optimizing guide RNA for better therapeutic delivery — breakthroughs that are paving the way for potential curative treatments.
To learn more about the Blu Genes Foundation and how your tax-deductible donation can help advance gene therapy research, please visit www.blugenes.org.
Executive Director: Nicola Dent