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Raquel Cuella Martin joined the Department of Human Genetics and the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Genomic Medicine as an assistant professor in August 2022. She undertook her Ph.D. studies at the Wellcome Center for Human Genetics (University of Oxford), where she described the mechanistic role of the DNA repair protein 53BP1 in optimal p53 tumour suppressor responses. In her postdoctoral work as an EMBO long-term fellow at Columbia University, she used CRISPR-dependent base editing to perform genetic screens at nucleotide resolution and functionalize DNA variants at scale. Her work and her potential as a leader in the field were recognized with the 2024 Gairdner Early Career Investigator Award. Now, her lab applies cutting-edge large-scale precision genome editing to address outstanding mechanistic questions in the DNA damage response and their association with human disorders. They are interested in the mechanisms whereby DNA repair and checkpoint control activities are integrated, and how they coordinate to preserve cellular homeostasis and suppress tumorigenesis. In addition, they are excited about the power of precision genome editing to improve personalized, targeted drug design.