Editing Ourselves

Q: What kind of COVID-19 test are you developing now? A: We are working on a nucleic acid-based test that does not require complex instrumentation, rapidly returns results (with a goal of under one hour), and can be performed at a point-of-care location without trained professionals. We hope to accomplish this using a combination of techniques. First, we are incorporating isothermal amplification technologies, which, unlike current PCR-based tests, do not require intricate heating and cooling to operate. We are combining this with our CRISPR-based diagnostics, allowing for sensitive detection and readout in a simple visual format, akin to a pregnancy test. We hope that this test will significantly lower the barrier for accurate diagnosis and provide another approach for COVID-19 surveillance.

The jumping-gene version of CRISPR is most likely to [be] best [over] the classic version when curing a genetic disease requires making a gene function normally by replacing its misspelled DNA “letters.” CRISPR tries to do that by cutting out the mutation (like Word snipping out fi from orthografi) and offering up the correct letters (phy).

Using the CRISPR gene-editing system, researchers have shown in mice that they can generate colon tumors that closely resemble human tumors. This advance should help scientists learn more about how the disease progresses and allow them to test new therapies.