Abstract: Cellular reprogramming and gene editing represent major advancements in biology, and has wide applications in regenerative medicine, disease therapy and drug screening. However, low and variable efficiencies have created significant roadblocks to the full application of these technologies. The invention disclosed herein overcomes these roadblocks by providing optimized methods and systems that are useful in a variety of cellular engineering and gene editing methodologies, including for example methods designed to enhance the reprogramming of somatic cells into neural cells or pluripotent cells.