Lunch @ UC Berkeley with Susan Jenkins – Genome surgery and other CRISPR “operations”
Lunch @ UC Berkeley with Susan Jenkins – Genome surgery and other CRISPR “operations”
To treat an array of ailments and diseases, physicians and surgeons turn to the tools of the trade: scalpels to remove tumors, arthroscopes to repair ligaments or implantable devices like pacemakers to control heart function. What if the ailment is caused by a genetic mutation and could be treated or cured directly at the genomic level? With CRISPR, we now have the molecular scalpel to perform an operation with surgical precision at the sub-cellular level. What might be the first application, and when? This is just one exciting area of research at the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), a joint research endeavor led by UC Berkeley and UCSF and cofounded by CRISPR inventor Jennifer Doudna.
In addition to pioneering biomedical research to cure genetic diseases, IGI’s multidisciplinary initiatives cover plant and microbial genomics. Research includes developing agricultural applications to ensure secure and safe food supplies for a growing population, mining microbial genomes to gain additional biological insight, and exploring new areas and applications to protect the environment. But exactly where can and when should we operate with CRISPR? A critical part of IGI’s research portfolio addresses the societal aspects of the technology, covering important ethical, legal, economic and policy issues.
