Questions and Answers about Genome Editing

A: Jefferson Martins: In the 90s, when I was still a child, I got a glimpse of the news about the cloning of Dolly, the Sheep. In the 2000s, the genome project was an extraordinary revolution in genetics, molecular biology, and understanding a series of mechanisms and techniques based on this knowledge. Genetic engineering, with the capacity for use in biotechnology to develop and produce new drugs and DNA editing techniques, can repair and treat diseases in the era of gene therapy. Learn More

Ana Luiza Dias Abdo Agamme: Genome editing is a group of technologies used to alter an organism's genome. CRISPR/Cas9 is one of these genome editing techniques. Although it has appeared strongly in the media only recently, CRISPR technology is much older than you can imagine. Learn More

Elizabeth Gabriela Macedo Flores: Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR): Several approaches to genome editing have been developed. A recent one is known as CRISPR-Cas9, which is short for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9. The CRISPR-Cas9 system has generated a lot of excitement in the scientific community because it is faster, cheaper, more accurate, and more efficient than other existing genome editing methods. Learn More

Kevin Arcos: There are actually many statements about what genome editing and CRISPR/Cas9 is and I think NIH's definition is one of the most accurate. Based on NIH's website, genome editing (also called gene editing) is a group of technologies that give scientists the ability to change an organism's DNA, and CRISPR/Ca9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9)  is a faster, cheaper, more accurate, and more efficient genome editing method. Learn More

A: Ana Luiza Dias Abdo Agamme: Genome editing is a group of technologies used to alter an organism´s DNA. It allows adding, removing, or changing a particular location of a gene or several genes. One of the main goals of genome editing is to fight and cure human diseases such as cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, sickle cell disease, and even cancer. Learn More

Elizabeth Gabriela Macedo Flores: Genome editing, or genome engineering, or gene editing, is a type of genetic engineering in which DNA is inserted, deleted, modified or replaced in the genome of a living organism. Unlike early genetic engineering techniques that randomly inserts genetic material into a host genome, genome editing targets the insertions to site specific locations. Learn More

A: Elizabeth Gabriela Macedo Flores: The biotechnology company Recombinetics got media attention for using TALENs to breed polled (hornless) cows—which saves farmers the trouble of dehorning them. The project started in 2012,  the company continues to work on making the editing more efficient. Learn More

A: Raghuvandhanan K S: CRISPR technology has a plethora of applications because of it’s targeted gene-editing technology. Here are some of the most promising applications of CRISPR technology.

1. Genetic screening: CRISPR can be used to find a small number of important genes(Genes in which mutation results in a genetic disease) or genetic sequences within a large number of genetic sequences such as the human genome. Learn More

Ana Luiza Dias Abdo Agamme: CRISPR/Cas9´s technology has several applications that go from treating human diseases to producing meat. 

In this article, I´ll show 8 potential applications of CRISPR/Cas9 technology.

1. HIV therapy - CRISPR/Cas9 can help treat HIV, where it can target the virus´s genome to reduce the infection and clear the provirus. It can also induce transcriptional activation of latent virus in latent viral reservoirs for elimination, one of the main challenges in HIV therapy. Learn More

Neha Mittal: CRISPR-Cas9 is a procedure whose most promising potentials we cannot explain enough, as this technique has boundless capabilities. This technique has just reformed various branches of science like medicine, agriculture, etc. This technique works by making the changes in biological organisms in such a way that they can improvise potential to fight against deadly diseases like Cancer, Alzhimer's, HIV. CRISPR-Cas9 has incredible potential for the higher success of in vitro fertilization as well by enhancing the pregnancy rate in this modern era where low fertilization has already became a biggest challenge for the medical science. Learn More

Elizabeth Gabriela Macedo Flores: Recent advances in CRISPR have involved experimentation on insects, animals and embryos, the latter being the area most compromised and most dependent on regulation. Using CRISPR, the Harvard collaborators managed to edit endogenous retroviruses from pig genomes, opening the door to transplants from pig organs to humans. Learn More

VINAY MEHRA: The CRISPR-Cas9 complex has revolutionized genomic research because of its very consistent approach for identifying and cutting specific sections of DNA. This complex is made from a Cas9 protein which cuts DNA through two if its nuclease domains, and single guide RNA (sgRNA) which targets a specific section of the DNA called a PAM. Learn More

A: Elizabeth Gabriela Macedo Flores: Although we have previously established the legal frameworks for genetic editing of human embryos, are not sufficient to elucidate or resolve all conflicts ethical. What is required by law is only one of the dimensions of acting ethically and Ethics often dictates actions that go beyond what is required by law. From In fact, it is neither possible nor desirable for the law to cover the whole spectrum of the moral life of individuals or societies, as history has taught us that the law may require actions that are unethical and that ethical actions may be illegal. Learn More

VINAY MEHRA: The ethical and regulatory considerations posed by genome-editing research using human embryos in the laboratory have been explored in the past: the moral status of the embryo, the acceptability of making embryos for research or using embryos that would otherwise be discarded, and legal or voluntary limits that apply to the use of embryos in research. These same ethical considerations are raised in other countries. Even with recognition of the scientific value of using human embryos in research, the practice is limited, discouraged, or even prohibited in many jurisdictions. Learn More

Ana Luiza Dias Abdo Agamme: Genome editing technology offers great potential to advance the science and medical fields. Basic research is helping scientists understand the mechanisms of diseases and other physiological processes, which could establish new therapeutic approaches. The technology is entering clinical testing for somatic treatment of certain genetic diseases, and the approval of a new drug for human use is subjected to regulatory issues. Learn More