CRISPR Technology Quiz

CRISPR Technology and Gene Editing

• CRISPR is a new breakthrough in technology that allows us to rewrite DNA in cells, correcting mistakes.
• It's an exploitation of an antiviral defense system found in bacteria, which has been adapted to rewrite DNA in various cells and organisms.
• Gene editing is a two-part system: a GPS locator that directs a pair of molecular scissors to a specific part of the DNA, making a cut and allowing for the removal and replacement of DNA.

Potential of CRISPR Technology

• CRISPR technology has the potential to cure diseases by correcting cells in a petri dish and then putting them back into the patient.
• It allows us to understand how cells work at a fundamental level, enabling us to record information into cells, program cells, and turn cells into computers.
• Simple diseases are expected to be cured in the near future, with more complex diseases being tackled over the next few years.

Risks and Controversies

• The field of gene editing is not free from risk or controversy, with concerns about designing a post-human race topping the list.
• It's essential to bring together experts from various fields, including law and ethics, to identify and evaluate risks, benefits, and trends.

Future of CRISPR Technology

• In 50 years, we expect to be able to manipulate cells with exquisite specificity, controlling cells to help the immune system when needed.
• Gene editing is versatile, and it's possible that in 20-25 years, people could be engineering synthetic cells that can survey the body for disease and deal with it as it arises.
• Tissue engineering could lead to shelves full of donor parts for all different tissues in the body, eliminating the need for donors.