Monthly Archives: August 2022

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The Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, roamed portions of southern Australia until settlers killed off the dog-sized marsupial carnivore. By 1936, the last of these creatures with distinctive tiger-like stripes on their backs died in captivity. But a Dallas, Texas-based company called Colossal Biosciences plans to bring the thylacine back to Australia through de-extinction, the (aspirational) process of birthing a new version of a lost species.

On the heels of a September 2021 announcement, outlining plans to rebirth the woolly mammoth, Colossal Biosciences has partnered with an Australian scientist to work on the de-extinction of the Tasmanian tiger. Combining the science of genetics with the business of discovery, we endeavor to jumpstart natures ancestral heartbeat, the company says on its website.

Getting that ancestral heartbeat pumping again is no simple feat, though.

Colossal outlines a 10-step process for resurrecting the thylacine, from extinction to birth; that includes sequencing the creatures genome through DNA extracted from a 108-year-old specimen preserved at the Victoria Museum in Australia. Andrew Pask, a professor of biosciences at the University of Melbourne and a member of the Colossal Scientific Advisory Board, will lead the charge on sequencing. As the foremost expert on the thylacine genome, he heads the universitys TIGGR Lab (Thylacine Integrated Genetic Restoration Research).

In 2018, Pasks team published the first genome sequence of the thylacine. While the draft assembly of the thylacine genome contained the overwhelming majority of its genetic information, we were unable to piece everything back together, according to the TIGGR Lab website. Nailing that genome sequence will be the first monumental step in the process toward de-extinction.

If that pans out, bioengineering comes next. That includes everything from sequencing the thylacines closest living relatives, to computational biology to enhance a recipient host genome to be more thylacine-like, and establishing compatible cell lines for cell editing, sequencing, and stem-cell derivation.

Ultimately, this will lead to inserting thylacine genes into the genome of a dasyurid and stimulating embryonic growth until it is ready for a surrogate and eventual birth. The current plan calls for taking stem cells from the living dasyurid, or dunnarta marsupial relative that bears basically no resemblance to the thylacine (think: mouse-like dunnart vs. wolf-like Tasmanian tiger)and then editing genes to get as close to a new thylacine as possible.

Colossal expects this process to last a decade and Pask claims the first version will offer up a de-extincted thylacine-ish thing about 90 percent thylacine with the eventual goal to get to 99.9 percent, he tells Scientific American. In a Jurassic Park-like proposal, the engineered animals will live in their own enclosure with the continued goal of dropping the Tasmanian tiger back into the wild.

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The thylacine started a steady decline when settlers started killing them off due to an incentive of a 1 bounty at the time (along with the help of dingoes). The thylacine was winnowed down to freedom only on the island of Tasmania, and a captive thylacine ended the species run after dying at the Hobart Zoo in 1936.

Not everyone believes this grand de-extinction plan is a sound judgement call. Since 1999, researchers have tried to sequence the genome of the Tasmanian tiger. It hasnt worked. And even if it does pan out in the future, there are ethical questions about how to handle the creature, and if funding couldve been better spent on conservation and protecting currently endangered species.

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With Colossal already moving forward on the woolly mammoth effortthe genome of that animal is sequenced, and scientists will soon place it into the genome of the Asian elephantthe thylacine needs the final 4 percent of its genome sequenced before scientists can explore the possibility of using a dunnart genome for the next steps. Marsupials mark a relatively new world of research, so much of the plan has never before been done, and experts dont believe the thylacine and dunnart are close enough to make it work.

Jeremy Austin from the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA tells the Sydney Morning Herald the entire plan is about media attention for the scientists. De-extinction is a fairytale science, he says. Only a new Tasmanian tiger (or something resembling it) could change that.

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Scientists Are Planning to Resurrect the Extinct Tasmanian Tiger - Popular Mechanics

Insights into the DNA of European flat oysters from a series of studies could inform selective breeding approaches for the scarce shellfish, to improve food security and sustainability.

Scientists from the Roslin Institute developed extensive genetic resources detailing the DNA of oysters and used them to help address the challenges this species faces in terms of conservation, restoration and aquaculture.

Our results could contribute to sustainable food production, as oysters have among the lowest environmental impact of any animal protein production, said Dr Tim Bean, Oyster research expert at the Roslin Institute.

The researchers found that two areas of the oyster genome are significantly associated with faster growth.

The incorporation of genomic information into breeding schemes could be a cost-effective way of enhancing growth traits such as weight and shell size in oysters, scientists concluded.

A separate study, led by scientists from the University of Santiago de Compostela and involving Roslin experts, discovered that variations in a region of oyster DNA may be associated with tolerance to a deadly parasite.

To help understand all the genetics information in their studies, the researchers decoded the complete DNA code of the European flat oyster.

Two high-quality reference genomes were separately built to the chromosome level by the Roslin team and scientists from Sorbonne University in France.

Both genomes have been published in Evolutionary Applications and are already being widely used by oyster researchers in Europe.

Scientists analysed the genome of the European flat oyster to look for variations and assess whether growth traits are under genetic control and could therefore be improved through selective breeding.

This research, published in Frontiers in Genetics, concluded that it is feasible to genetically improve growth traits in oysters.

In a separate study, scientists compared the genome of oysters that had not been exposed to the deadly parasite Bonamia ostreae with that of long-term affected populations.

The team explored areas of the oyster genome previously linked to resilience to the parasite and identified an area that was strongly associated with resilience to the parasite.

The study was published in Evolutionary Applications.

Oysters were once a plentiful source of food and a mainstay of the Scottish people but have long been in decline. The research at the Roslin Institute, in collaboration with UK and European academics, industry, environmental charities and government scientists, used genomics and genetic tools to help inform breeding strategies of the native European flat oyster.

High quality reference genome assemblies are of immense value when applying genetic tools in aquaculture and conservation. Our genome assembly enhances the resources available for flat oyster research, supports ongoing conservation efforts and selective breeding programmes, and improves our understanding of bivalve genome evolution, said Dr Manu Gundappa, Post-doctoral research fellow, Roslin Institute.

Our study shows that breeding programmes for flat oyster aquaculture and restoration would benefit from the incorporation of genetic information to identify the best candidates for breeding, thereby fast-tracking genetic progress in key traits in a sustainable way, said Dr Carolina Pealoza, Post-doctoral research fellow, Roslin Institute.

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Using genetics to unlock the growth potential in oysters - The Fish Site

Cambridge-based Constructive Bio has launched as a biotechnology company which will see it create synthetic genomes from scratch.

The technology can be used for commercial applications across a range of industries including agriculture, manufacturing and materials. Novel polymers can also be designed with the ability to breakdown and recycle the monomers to support a circular, sustainable economy a move that could transform the US$750bn global polymers market while simultaneously helping the planet.

Polymers are found in everything from food packaging to mobile phones, plastic bottle to car parts.

The company, which has completed a US$15 million seed round, has also been granted an exclusive license from the Medical Research Council (MRC) to IP developed by The Chin Lab at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (MRC-LMB).

Over the last 20 years, we have created a cellular factory that we can reliably and predictably program to create new polymers, says Professor Jason Chin, Programme Leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Chief Scientific Officer of Constructive Bio.

The range of applications for this technology is vast using our approach we have already been able to program cells to make new molecules including from an important class of drugs and to program cells to make completely synthetic polymers containing the chemical linkages found in biodegradable plastics.

Now is the right time to commercialise these technologies. By taking inspiration from nature and reimagining what life can become we have the opportunity to build the sustainable industries of the future.

Constructive Bio is led by CEO and Board member Dr Ola Wlodek, former Chief Operating Officer at Reflection Therapeutics. Ola brings more than 15 years of biopharma and R&D experience.

The company was set-up with support from Ahrens Commercial Engine and with Ahren Science Partner input. The seed round was led by Ahren alongside Amadeus Capital Partners, General Inception and OMX Ventures. The funding will be used to build out the technology platforms for commercial application.

If we think of cellular biosystems as biological factories, we need to be able to write the cells operating system in a rapid, accurate and affordable way, says Pierre Socha, Partner, Amadeus Capital Partners.

The foundational challenge then becomes how to write the DNA of whole living organisms, from scratch, to optimise the manufacturing of these bioproducts. And thats what Constructive Bio is going after. By creating tools that allow us to design and program cells, we will address issues from protein-based therapeutic design, industrial and environmental sustainability, food and agriculture, to consumer care and electronics.

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Constructive Bio targets sustainability with genome tech - Sustainability Magazine

New Jersey, United States Analysis of Genome Editing Market 2022 to 2028, Size, Share, and Trends by Type, Component, Application, Opportunities, Growth Rate, and Regional Forecast

Genome editing is likewise alluded to as quality editing, a group of innovations that empowers scientists to change the DNA of an organic entity. These advancements permit expansion, evacuation or adjustment of hereditary material at specific areas in the genome. Moreover, various approaches have been developed for genome editing. A new one is called CRISPR-Cas9, short for routinely clustered consistently interspaced short palindrome repeats and CRISPR-related protein9. Besides, a ton of fervor has been created in established researchers through the CRISPR-Cas9 framework, which is quicker, cheaper, and more effective than other existing genome editing techniques.

The Genome Editing market, which was valued at US$ million in 2022, is expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately percent over the forecast period, according to our most recent report.

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In addition, the prevention and treatment of human illnesses is of extraordinary importance to genome editing. Most exploration is as of now being improved to comprehend infections using cell and creature models. Researchers are as yet exploring whether this approach is safe and viable for human use. It is being explored in research on a large number of illnesses, for example, single-quality sicknesses like hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, and sickle cell illness. It likewise can possibly treat and prevent complex sicknesses like coronary illness, malignant growth, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) contamination, and psychological maladjustment. Continuous mechanical progressions in quality editing devices is a main consideration driving the development of the market. Moreover, accessibility of government subsidizing and development in the quantity of genomics projects and an increase in prevalence of disease and other hereditary problems are projected to likewise drive the market development. Whats more, development of CRISPR based novel analytic apparatuses to alleviate the antagonistic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic additionally helped the genome editing market development.

The flare-up of COVID-19 has disrupted work processes in the medical services area across the world. The sickness has constrained various industries to close their entryways temporarily, including a few sub-spaces of medical services. Besides, it affects various medical care administrations, including the genome editing market. At the point when COVID-19 was first recognized, numerous scientists diverted their focus to the investigation of this clever virus and the infection it causes. People working with CRISPR were no exception, and the quality editing apparatus was before long taken to the cutting edges in the worldwide conflict against COVID-19. Moreover, with the innovation in view of a normally happening bacterial quality editing framework that plays a key job the prokaryotic safeguard against viral contamination, the CRISPR Cas framework is intended to battle viruses.

Division Segment

The global genome editing market is segmented based on application, innovation, end user and locale. Based on application, the market is additionally ordered into cell line designing, hereditary designing, drug disclosure, quality altered cell therapy and diagnostics and different applications. By innovation, it is separated into CRISPR, TALEN, ZFN and different advancements. In light of end users, it is partitioned in to scholastics and government foundations, biotechnology and pharma companies, contract research associations. District wise, the market is broken down across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.

By innovation, the CRISPR segment represented the biggest portion of the genome editing market in 2022. The enormous portion of this segment can be credited to the usability related with CRISPR, which gives it a huge benefit over ZFN and TALEN. Pharmaceutical companies segment represented the biggest portion of the genome editing market in 2022. The rising prevalence of infectious illnesses and malignant growth is driving examination exercises worldwide. This is expected to drive the interest for genome editing in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

Regional Analysis

The genome editing/genome designing market is partitioned into five significant districts North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America (LATAM), and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). North America is projected to represent a significant portion of the global genome editing market during the estimate period. The market in the locale is anticipated to fill from here on out, attributable to development of quality therapy in the U.S., ascend being used of hereditarily changed crops, flood in prevalence of infectious sicknesses and disease, and the accessibility of examination awards and financing are propelling market development in North America.

Competitive Analysis

Key market players and their systems have been dissected to figure out the competitive viewpoint of the market. The key market players profiled in the report incorporates: Agilent Technologies, CRISPR Therapeutics, Danaher, Eurofins Scientific, Editas Medicine, GenScript, Horizon Discovery Limited, Lonza, Merck and Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Click here to Download the full index of the Genome Editing market research report 2022

Contact Us:Amit JainSales Co-OrdinatorInternational: +1 518 300 3575Email: [emailprotected]Website: https://www.infinitybusinessinsights.com

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Genome Editing Market is Slated to Witness Tremendous Growth in Coming Years | Latest Report by IBI - Digital Journal

Are itch and pain related? In both cases, the nervous system is involved and deciphering the molecular basis of itch has tremendous contribution to pain management. In diseases like cancer, sickle cell anaemia and others, the excruciating pain and managing it to tolerable limits is one of the challenges faced by clinicians, said paediatrician-turned-geneticist Geoff Woods from Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, UK, on Sunday.

In his talk on With Extreme Phenotypes, think of Genetics, even with Itch, organised by the city-based Genome Foundation, in collaboration with Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IDVL) Telangana branch, he said administering opioids was being intensely debated in medical practice.

Opioids, a substance found in certain prescription pain medications and illegal drugs such as heroin, are prescribed to treat pain. With prolonged use, pain-relieving effects may lessen and pain can become worse. In addition, opioid-dependency causes withdrawal symptoms, which makes it difficult to stop taking them, he explained.

Mr.Woods presented case studies of ultra-rare diseases like the Congenital Itch inherited in families with autosomal dominant transmission of mutations in two genes, SCN10A and COL6A5. Most important finding related to this disorder is that small addition of nucleotides (small DNA changes) differentiates onset of pain.

Second is congenital insensitivity for pain caused by dominant hyper-activity mutations in the gene SCN11A and third is the Mid-facial Toddler Excoriation syndrome (MiTES) - a congenital insensitivity to pain, an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in PRDM12 gene.

The webinar began with remarks by chairman of Genome Foundation K.P.C. Gandhi while dean-research V.R.Rao convened the programme. Consulting dermatologist V. Anand Kumar introduced the speaker and Genome Foundation director Aparna Kaja delivered the vote of thanks, said a press release.

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Scratching the itch behind pain management - The Hindu

NEW YORK A recently completed draft human pangenome reference aims to be the first step toward a reference genome that not only is more complete but also better reflects human diversity.

The current human reference genome, GRCh38, is a mishmash of sequences from different individuals, though about 70 percent of the sequence comes from just one person. "Obviously one human can't represent all the variation in humans," said Benedict Paten, an associate professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a member of the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium.

Instead, the consortium plans to generate 700 reference-quality haplotypes from 350 individuals, maximizing genomic and geographical diversity.

The idea of a pangenome reference that encompasses a wider range of human diversity is appealing, according to Fritz Sedlazeck, an associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine, who was part of the Telomere-to-Telomere Consortium that recently generated a continuous haploid human genome sequence, T2T-CHM13. He adds that a diverse pangenome reference could uncover genomic regions or even genes that are not represented in GRCh38.

So far, the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium has generated a draft reference of 94 de novo haplotype assemblies from 47 individuals. As the researchers reported in a preprint in BioRxiv in July, they generated these assemblies using a combination of Pacific Biosciences high-fidelity and Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing, Bionano Genomics optical maps, and high-coverage Hi-C Illumina short-read sequencing. These assemblies, they reported, cover more than 99 percent of the expected sequence and are more than 99 percent accurate at the structural and base-pair levels.

But the 47 individuals represented in this draft human pangenome reference all hail from the 1,000 Genomes Project.

By first focusing on individuals from that project which represents 26 global populations the consortium aimed to both improve their sequencing and assembly approaches and enrich the genetic diversity represented by the reference, said Eimear Kenny, a professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and a consortium member.

"A lot of work was happening on not only assessing [and] comparing technology and figuring out how different technologies could be knit together for a better representation of a genome, but also how that [technology] moves through pipelines in a production way that meets standards of quality," she added.

This work was enabled by the 1,000 Genomes Project individuals, who had provided consent allowing open access to their genomes. The researchers also had access to their parental genomes, which helped for phasing the assemblies.

Going forward, the consortium plans on bringing in sequencing data from other biobanks, as well as from additional populations and participants. For instance, the researchers have been contacting individuals from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai's BioMe BioBank program about participating in the pangenome effort. BioMe participants, Kenny noted, are unselected from the Mount Sinai health system and reflect the diversity of New York City.

At the same time, the consortium is also partnering with other researchers and reaching out to populations around the world to participate. "We really, really, really want this to be a reference for all humanity. We want this to be representative, as far as possible, of as much of the population as we can," Paten said.

But the field is not always trusted by underrepresented groups. "We also recognize that genetics doesn't have a great history [with respect] to marginalized populations," he noted.

To address those issues, the consortium has an ethical, legal, and social implications working group embedded. During the first phase of the pangenome project, that group has been reaching out to other consortia and partners for ideas on the best frameworks for recruiting participants and the best models for consent. As the project is asking participants to openly share their data, Paten said, the consent needs to be ethical and respect participants.

"What we're trying to do in phase one is assess the types of models that are out there," Kenny said. "In phase two, we really want to have a principled way to generate evidence for what works [and] what doesn't work."

She noted, though, that some groups may opt not to participate, or to participate on their own terms.

Meanwhile, with the 1,000 Genomes Project participant data, the researchers tested different graph assembly approaches to present their draft pangenome reference. Paten pointed out that despite the millions of variations they contain, human genomes are actually quite similar, and a graph approach is a way of describing the relationships between them.

The group used three different graph assembly approaches: Minigraph, Minigraph-Cactus, and the Pangenome Graph Builder. Each of these has different nuances to them, Sedlazeck noted, with one being comprehensive, the other focusing on SNVs, and the third on structural variants in pangenomes.

"Structural variants are rather complex and often hard to identify," Sedlazeck said. "Encompassing this kind of ethnicity-unique or just unique regions is really helping us to understand the diversity of these regions that are not represented in GCh38."

For instance, the pangenome researchers were able to annotate and visualize the structure of five multiallelic CNV loci including the variable HLA-A region. Further, around HLA-A, they noted two previously reported deletion alleles but also homed in on a previously unreported insertion allele carrying an HLA-Y pseudogene. This insertion, they noted, occurred at high frequency, 28 percent, but was not seen in GRCh38.

"If it's not represented in GRCh38, obviously this hinders the research on this," Sedlazeck noted.

The consortium also mapped the annotated gene list from GRCh38 to the pangenome assemblies to find that all the genes contained in GRCh38 are also well represented there. Sedlazeck said, though, that it would have also been interesting to know what new genes or isoforms are in the assemblies, for example in large insertions.

Paten added that there is ongoing work to fill in the gaps in the assemblies with an eye toward generating telomere-to-telomere assemblies, as well as to improve the alignments and tools. Still, he noted there is already plenty of interesting genome biology to explore in the current assemblies.

"This is such a foundational resource for the entire field," Kenny added, noting that there are likely many unanticipated benefits from having a modern and diverse pangenome.

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Draft Human Pangenome Reference Shows the Way to Capturing More Human Diversity - GenomeWeb

image:Wingless expression (red) in regenerating (left), developing (center) and tumorigenic (right) wing primordia of Drosophila. view more

Credit: IRB Barcelona

Barcelona, 22 August, 2021 The first mutation of the wingless gene was found by accident in Drosophila in the 1970s, following the observation of flies that did not possess wings, hence its name. Fifteen years after its discovery, the gene was found to be conserved in mammals, an event that gave rise to foundation of the wnt gene family. Mutations in wnt genes lead to various types of cancer.

The wnt gene family, including its founding member, the wingless gene, regulates several processes during the embryonic development of both insects and mammals. However, if this is true, then why did the first mutation of the wingless gene discovered only affect the wings of Drosophila flies? This was the question put forward by the IRB Barcelona Development and Growth Control lab.

Using gene editing techniques, such as CRISPR/Cas9, the researchers discovered an evolutionarily-conserved genomic region that regulates the expression of the Wingless protein only during the formation of the wing. Using functional assays, the scientists discovered that this regulatory region not only acts to exclusively promote wing formation but it also regenerates the wings when damaged.

Ensuring wing formation in different ways

The researchers showed that this regulatory region is exclusively involved in the regulation of Wingless expression during the formation of the wing. Their functional assays also discovered the presence of two highly redundant modules in this regulatory region that are activated by independent signalling pathways.

"What we have discovered in this study is a highly robust genetic regulation mechanism that ensures proper wing development, and this mechanism is consistent with the crucial importance that these structures have for insects in general", stated Dr. Marco Milan, an ICREA researcher and the Head of the Development and Growth Control Laboratory, who led this study. "Wing development was an enormous evolutionary advantage for insects and it is what permitted their expansion and diversification," Dr. Miln added.

Regeneration and tumours

When organ damage occurs, the injured cells send signals to their surrounding cells so that these then divide in order to restore the organ. The authors of this investigation have shown that Wingless is also the molecule responsible for signalling healthy cells to divide and regenerate tissue, and that the regulatory region involved in wing formation is also activated in situations of damage in order to induce the expression of Wingless.

The research team demonstrated in functional assays that the JNK stress signalling pathway acts in a redundant manner on the two existing modules. "Once again, a very robust genetic regulatory mechanism ensures not only the correct development of the wing but also its ability to regenerate", stated Elena Gracia-Latorre and Lidia Prez, the initial research authors.

As a final note, the researchers performed experiments in which they blocked the damaged-cell removal process, to find that the Wingless regulatory zone remained continually activated. Due to the constant presence of Wingless, the cells proliferated uncontrollably, and this eventually gave rise to the formation of tumorous and malignant growths. "This allows us to propose that regeneration and tumour development are two sides of the same coin: if Wingless is induced for a short period of time, it forms the wing normally or allows it to regenerate, but if it is maintained chronically, then it causes overgrowth and a tumour, concludes Dr. Milan.

Nature Communications

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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A genomic region that is exclusively dedicated to the formation and regeneration of a single organ - EurekAlert

CRISPR is a family of DNA sequences found in the genomes of prokaryotic organisms such as bacteria and archaea. These sequences are derived from DNA fragments of viruses called bacteriophages that had previously infected the prokaryote. They are used to detect and destroy DNA from similar bacteriophages during subsequent infections, providing the prokaryote with a sort of immunity.

The following is an interview with CRISPR co-discoverer and Nobel Prize-winner Dr. Jennifer Doudna.

Describe the eureka moment around CRISPR the moment when you realized that this technology was not only possible but actually worked. How did you feel? Has your feeling changed since that eureka moment? If so, how?

Theres one moment that stands out in my mind, right at the time we realized what CRISPR could do and that we could reprogram it to edit specific sequences of DNA. I was cooking dinner and thinking about it, and I burst out laughing. My son was in the kitchen and he asked why I was laughing. So I explained it to him with a little drawing of a car zooming around, grabbing onto viruses, and chopping them up. I think my drawing did the trick, because he started laughing too.

The implications of this finding were too big to understand all at once. Its been ten years since that time now, and everything that has happened since surpassed any expectations I had back then. With multiple therapies in clinical trials, plants in fields that help farmers adapt to a changing climate, and countless uses of CRISPR in life science research, the scope of what has been achieved in just ten years continues to surprise me.

What excites and inspires you most about the possibilities of CRISPR technologies?

I recently spoke with Victoria Gray, one of the first people to receive a CRISPR-based therapy for sickle cell disease. Hearing from her about how her life has changed for the better, how shes no longer in constant pain and able to go back to work and spend more time with her family theres nothing more inspiring than real human impact. Thats what drives the work we do at the institute that I started at UC-Berkeley, the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), where the focus is not just developing new therapies and agricultural products, but making sure they reach the people who need them most.

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What is the most interesting, or counterintuitive, use of CRISPR technology that youve encountered thus far?

We talk a lot about the ability of CRISPR to cut DNA, but its ability to find a specific sequence of DNA is just as interesting. Thats not an easy thing to do, and it turns out that it can be really useful in other ways. For example, at the IGI, were developing CRISPR-based diagnostics for infectious disease. Instead of editing DNA, these tests quickly find a specific sequence of DNA from a pathogen, like the SARS-CoV-2 virus or HIV, and then release a fluorescent marker. The great thing about these tests is that theyre fast, can be performed anywhere, and should be quite cheap to produce. After everything weve all experienced during the pandemic, its clear that rapid point-of-need tests are going to be increasingly important.

Are there any parallels in history of a technology that fundamentally changed human life?

In many ways CRISPR genome editing builds on groundbreaking technologies and innovations that came before it, and each one was a watershed moment for science. We needed X-ray crystallography to understand the structure of DNA, Sanger sequencing to be able to read it, PCR to make copies of it, and the Human Genome Project and other large bioinformatics projects to start to understand the bigger picture of how genomes function. Being able to edit the genome is the next chapter in this story, but it couldnt exist without the others that came before it.

How can we most responsibly use the power this technology has unlocked? Where should we put the guardrails?

With any powerful technology, there is always potential for its misuse. And we have already seen this, even though the vast majority of scientists are using it responsibly. Determining what constitutes misuse, what is unethical, what is medically necessary that is where a lot of the discussion is focused at the moment. There is broad agreement on certain topics, particularly around human germline editing, but when it comes to questions of ethics, there will always be gray areas.

One risk that is often overlooked is the real possibility that some of the advances we make in genome editing will benefit a small fraction of society. With new technologies this is often the case at first, so we have to consciously work from the start to make new cures and agricultural tools that are accessible and affordable.

In your mind, what does it mean for humanity to have the ability to directly alter genetic material so precisely?

Its a powerful tool, and one that can be used to do a lot of good. Sickle cell disease affects millions of people worldwide, and its caused by a single-letter mutation in just one gene. This has been understood for a long time, but we didnt have the means to fix that mutation. There are several thousand other genetic diseases, including very rare diseases that are often neglected, that we can now look to address. It goes beyond medicine: Climate change is impacting agriculture, and agriculture itself is contributing to climate change. With genome editing, we can mitigate both of those impacts.

How do you think CRISPR will affect our understanding and definition of what it means to be human?

Understanding even just a little bit about genetic disorders what causes them, how many people are affected by them increases your compassion for what people are going through of no fault of their own. You also start to understand that there are people who have genetic mutations that affect their lives, but dont necessarily view them as diseases or problems to fix. CRISPR itself may not change what it means to be human, but perhaps having a tool that can rewrite our DNA helps to shine a light on all of the diversity that humanity already encompasses.

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10 years on, a spin-off use for CRISPR: Infectious disease testing - Big Think

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Submitted by Illumina

Originally published on Illumina News Center

SAN DIEGO, August 22, 2022/CSRwire/ -- Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN), a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, announced that on September 30, its Illumina Genomics Forum (IGF) will feature Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, who will deliver a keynote address on the remarkable potential of genomics to change the trajectory of global health. In addition, IGF will host a panel session titled "Making 'Genomics for All' More than a Mantra," on the requirements needed to ensure broader access to genomic health.

"Genomics should be available to the many, not the few, and even though the genomic health era has already led to breakthrough discoveries that are advancing medical care, the benefits have not yet had a true globalimpact," said Kathryne Reeves, chief marketing officer for Illumina. "Through sessions led by Bill Gates and expert panelists, Illumina Genomics Forum will help attendees see and understand the path toward global health equity."

The "Genomics for All" panel includes representatives driving increased access to genomic health, including:

Illumina previously announced that former U.S. President Barack Obama will headline the inaugural forum in a fireside chat on the evening of Wednesday, September 28. Twelve years after the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Obama will discuss the continued need for equity, accessibility, and smarter healthcare to improve the human condition. Additional speakers, panels, and details about the event agenda will continue to be released in the coming weeks.

Other IGF key themes include:

IGF will take place in San Diego from September 28 through October 1. For more information and to register for the conference, go to illuminagenomicsforum.com.

About Illumina

Illumina is improving human health by unlocking the power of the genome. Our focus on innovation has established us as a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, serving customers in the research, clinical and applied markets. Our products are used for applications in the life sciences, oncology, reproductive health, agriculture and other emerging segments. To learn more, visit illumina.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

Investors:Salli Schwartz858-291-6421IR@illumina.com

Media:Adi RavalUS: 202-629-8172PR@illumina.com

SOURCE Illumina, Inc.

Illumina is improving human health by unlocking the power of the genome. Our focus on innovation has established us as the global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, serving customers in the research, clinical, and applied markets. Our products are used for applications in the life sciences, oncology, reproductive health, agriculture, and other emerging segments.

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