CRISPR

Gene-editing citrus fruits to make them less bitter could not only encourage more people to eat them, it might also help save the industry from a devastating plague  

Microbiologist John van der Oost of Wageningen University & Research (WUR) has received an ERC Proof of Concept grant to further develop a promising CRISPR-based approach to cancer treatment. With funding of €150,000, he and researcher Christian Südfeld will spend the next eighteen months working on a method to kill cancer cells from within, while sparing healthy cells as much as possible.

Researchers identified AlCas12a, a compact, versatile enzyme that improves CRISPR gene editing and enables faster molecular diagnostics.

Gene-editing tools like CRISPR have unlocked new treatments for previously uncurable diseases. Now, researchers at the University of British Columbia are extending those possibilities to the skin for the first time.

Last year, a ten-month-old baby in the US was the first person in the world to have their rare genetic disease effectively cured through the use of CRISPR gene editing technology. But the rollout of CRISPR across a wide range of genetic conditions has been hampered by its inconsistency, and its potential to cause harm to healthy genes. Now a team of Melbourne scientists have used AI to develop a fast and accurate way to keep CRISPR in line.

Genetic disorders occur due to alterations in the primary genetic material—deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)—of an organism.

Genetic disorders occur due to alterations in the primary genetic material, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), of an organism. Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) is a progressive disorder involving amyloid deposits of misfolded transthyretin (TTR) proteins.

Infection with the pathogenic yeast fungus Candida auris (C. auris) can wreak havoc on the health of hospital patients and residents of nursing homes, especially those who are already weakened by other illnesses. The pathogen easily spreads and colonizes surfaces and objects where it can survive for weeks to months, and is often resistant to standard disinfectants.

Scientists have used CRISPR to give the goldenberry a modern makeover, shrinking the plant by about a third and making it easier to farm. Goldenberries are tasty and nutritious but notoriously unruly, with bushy plants that complicate harvesting. By editing a few key genes and selectively breeding the best-tasting fruits, researchers created new varieties ready for wider cultivation. The approach could speed up how new crops are adapted for a changing climate.

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. How I learned to stop worrying and love AI slop —Caiwei Chen If I were to locate the moment AI slop broke through into popular consciousness, I’d pick the video of rabbits bouncing…

Here at MIT Technology Review we’ve been writing about the gene-editing technology CRISPR since 2013, calling it the biggest biotech breakthrough of the century. Yet so far, there’s been only one gene-editing drug approved. It’s been used commercially on only about 40 patients, all with sickle-cell disease. It’s becoming clear that the impact of CRISPR…

Researchers report on a CRISPR system known as Cas12a3 that, on recognition of target DNA, is directed to cut the tail off specific tRNAs, halting virus production and spread, while sparing the host cell DNA. The post Cas12a3 CRISPR System Targets tRNA Without Destroying Host Cell appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

When Bigger CRISPR Screens Start Producing Unreliable Results CRISPR screening was supposed to make functional genomics more reliable.

A novel CRISPR defense mechanism, unlike known nucleases, specifically destroys transfer ribonucleic acids (tRNA) that are vital for protein production to shut down infected cells.

Across all domains of life, immune defenses foil invading viruses by making it impossible for the viruses to replicate. Most known CRISPR systems target invading pathogens' DNA and chop it up to disable and modify genes, heading off infections at the (cellular) pass.

Across all domains of life, immune defenses foil invading viruses by making it impossible for the viruses to replicate. Most known CRISPR systems target invading pathogens' DNA and chop it up to disable and modify genes, heading off infections at the (cellular) pass.

With the help of gene editing tools, scientists uncovered hundreds of genes required for brain cell differentiation and implicated one gene, PEDS1, in a severe neurodevelopmental disorder. The post CRISPR Screen Uncovers Genes Driving Brain Cell Development, Neurodevelopmental Disorder appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

A new CRISPR breakthrough shows scientists can turn genes back on without cutting DNA, by removing chemical tags that act like molecular anchors. The work confirms these tags actively silence genes, settling a long-running scientific debate. This gentler form of gene editing could offer a safer way to treat Sickle Cell disease by reactivating a fetal blood gene. Researchers say it opens the door to powerful therapies with fewer unintended side effects.

Explore how nanotechnology acts as the 'Convergence Engine' for AI materials discovery, CRISPR gene therapy delivery, and industrial quantum computing in 2025.

Three start-ups are aiming to create gene-edited babies. Columnist Michael Le Page has no doubt that editing our offspring will one day become routine, but not like this

High-quality genome assemblies and CRISPR editing were applied to the goldenberry to produce compact, more tractable plants that advance domestication efforts and support this underutilized species’ potential as a scalable global crop. The post CRISPR Streamlines Goldenberry Growth to Enable Large-Scale Farming appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Liquid biopsy is increasingly recognized as a promising tool for cancer detection and treatment monitoring, yet its effectiveness is often limited by the extremely low levels of tumor-derived DNA circulating in the blood.

Sens. Diagn.DOI: 10.1039/D5SD00176E, Critical Review Open Access   This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence.Yanping Wang, Huimin Jiang, Yanyin Zhang, Qingran Yang, Yujun Song, Yanfeng GaoThis review highlights recent advances in microfluidics-integrated CRISPR–Cas systems for rapid, sensitive, and portable detection of diverse biomarkers, emphasizing their potential to enable sample-to-answer point-of-care diagnostics.To cite this article before page numbers are assigned, use the DOI form of citation above.The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry

Nature is the foremost international weekly scientific journal in the world and is the flagship journal for Nature Portfolio. It publishes the finest peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology on the basis of its originality, importance, interdisciplinary interest, timeliness, accessibility, elegance and surprising conclusions. Nature publishes landmark papers, award winning news, leading comment and expert opinion on important, topical scientific news and events that enable readers to share the latest discoveries in science and evolve the discussion amongst the global scientific community.

Syntax Bio, a synthetic biology company programming the next generation of cell therapies, today announced the publication of new research in Science Advances detailing the company's CRISPR-based Cellgorithm technology, which lays the groundwork for programmable control of gene activity in human stem cells and offers an alternative to the slow, variable manual processes researchers use today.

Syntax Bio, a synthetic biology company programming the next generation of cell therapies, has published new research in Science Advances detailing the company's CRISPR-based Cellgorithm technology, which lays the groundwork for programmable control of gene activity in human stem cells and offers an alternative to the slow, variable manual processes researchers use today.

For years, Yale researchers David Breslow and Mustafa Khokha have worked together with a similar challenge in their sights—trying to capture the interplay between certain genes and the pediatric developmental disorders they cause.

A range of CRISPR gene therapies are taking aim at chronically high cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease. The post CRISPR Slashes ‘Bad Cholesterol’ Levels by 95 Percent in Early Results appeared first on SingularityHub.

UC Davis researchers engineered wheat that encourages soil bacteria to convert atmospheric nitrogen into plant-usable fertilizer. By boosting a natural compound in the plant, the wheat triggers bacteria to form biofilms that enable nitrogen fixation. This breakthrough could cut fertilizer use, reduce pollution, and increase yields. It also offers huge potential savings for farmers worldwide.

Although existing CRISPR-Cas-based imaging methods can target endogenous genomic sequences, their applications are limited by system complexity and sensitivity, particularly when imaging non-repetitive loci, performing multi-locus visualization, or working with primary cells.

In a new study publishing November 19 in the Cell Press journal Trends in Biotechnology, researchers used a gene-editing technology called CRISPR to increase a fungus's production efficiency and cut its production-related environmental impact by as much as 61%-all without adding any foreign DNA.

In a major step forward for cancer care, researchers at ChristianaCare's Gene Editing Institute have shown that disabling the NRF2 gene with CRISPR technology can reverse chemotherapy resistance in lung cancer.

Study shows gene editing restores drug sensitivity by targeting NRF2, with potential across multiple tumor types.

Scientists used CRISPR to disable the NRF2 gene, restoring chemotherapy sensitivity in lung cancer cells and slowing tumor growth. The technique worked even when only a fraction of tumor cells were edited, making it practical for real-world treatment. Since NRF2 fuels resistance in several cancers, the approach could have broad impact.

By reactivating a long-lost gene, researchers were able to lower uric acid levels and stop damaging fat accumulation in human liver models. The breakthrough hints at a future where gout and several metabolic diseases could be prevented at the genetic level.

In a 15-patient, Phase 1 one, first-in-human trial, a one-time, CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing therapy safely reduced LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in people with difficult-to-treat lipid disorders, according to a preliminary late-breaking science presentation today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025.

The patient, which Intellia described previously as a man in his early 80s with a high body mass index, succumbed to liver dysfunctions that included Grade 4 liver transaminases and increased total bilirubin after being dosed with nex-z in the Phase III MAGNITUDE trial (NCT06128629) on September 30. The post Patient Dies After Treatment with Intellia CRISPR Therapy in Phase III Trial appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Scientists developed a bioengineered bone marrow model incorporating human cells in a synthetic peptide hydrogel, which helped them to evaluate potential use of a combined CRISPR-CAR T cell therapy in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. The post Engineered Bone Marrow Model Advances CRISPR-CAR T Research in AML appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Sens. Diagn.DOI: 10.1039/D5SD00176E, Critical Review Open Access   This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence.Yanping Wang, Huimin Jiang, Yanyin Zhang, Qingran Yang, Yanfeng Gao, Yujun SongThe rapid, accurate, and portable detection of biomarkers plays a central role in clinical diagnostics, food safety, and environmental monitoring. However, conventional molecular diagnostic techniques are often limited by bulky...The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital researchers reveal advances in engineering CRISPR-associated transposons (CASTs), enabling precise DNA insertion for next-generation genome editing. Researchers identified mutations boosting CAST activity fourfold while maintaining high specificity in gene-targeting applications. The post Engineering CRISPR-Associated Transposons for Precision Gene Insertion appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Despite setbacks and funding cuts — and a quieting of the hype blaring its arrival — multiple CRISPR-based trials are underway, and life-saving treatments have been developed.

The Influenza A virus (IAV) has been the cause of six major flu pandemics, responsible for 50 to 100 million deaths globally.

One of the most revolutionary tools in cutting-edge medicine is a molecular scalpel so precise that it can modify defective DNA and fix genetic diseases like sickle cell anemia, and chronic disorders like cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers.

Twisted graphene precisely aligned with gold nanodisks and coupled with CRISPR achieves attomolar detection of cancer biomarkers, revealing a new path for low light molecular diagnostics.

New research shows how microbes use napping viruses to vaccinate themselves

CRISPR drives breakthroughs in editing, diagnostics, and agriculture. A new study traces the versatile Type V Cas12 branch to a pivotal RNA-splitting event that transformed ancient transposons into today’s genome-editing immune systems. The post CRISPR’s Origin Story: RNA Splitting Sparked Rise of Type V Systems appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

CRISPR-Cas systems are adaptive immune systems found in prokaryotes that defend against invading nucleic acids through CRISPR RNA-guided cleavage. Type V CRISPR-Cas (Cas12) systems, in particular, serve as one of today's most powerful tools for genome editing, especially in basic research, medicine, and agriculture.

Using CRISPR screens, scientists have found ways to modify genes to boost the persistence and function of immunotherapies in multiple myeloma cases. The post CRISPR Screens Pinpoint Genetic Tweaks That Improve CAR T Therapies for Multiple Myeloma appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Natural systems such as CRISPR-associated transposons (CASTs) offer a targetable, one-step way to edit genomes. However, adapting them for biomedical applications has been challenging.

Using CRISPR, researchers modeled EML4-ALK lung cancer in mice and found the V3 variant drives more aggressive tumors and resists ALK inhibitors, suggesting future therapies should account for fusion-variant differences. The post CRISPR Reveals EML4-ALK Variants Drive Distinct Lung Tumor Growth in Mice appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Turning genes on and off is like flipping a light switch, controlling whether genes in a cell are active. When a gene is turned on, the production of proteins or other substances is promoted; when it's turned off, production is suppressed. Korean researchers have gone beyond the limitations of existing CRISPR technology, which focused primarily on "off" functions, by developing the world's first innovative system that can simultaneously turn genes on and off, opening a new paradigm for the synthetic biology-based bio-industry.

With the power to rewrite the genetic code underlying countless diseases, CRISPR holds immense promise to revolutionize medicine.

Preclinical data in mice shows that CRISPR activation may restore lost SCN2A function and rescue neuronal deficits, offering a potential therapeutic path for SCN2A-linked neurodevelopmental disorders. The post CRISPR Activation Restores SCN2A Loss, Improves Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Mice appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Genetic editing holds promise to treat incurable diseases, but the most popular method—CRISPR—sometimes does more harm than good. A new study from University of California San Diego and Yale University researchers highlights an innovative alternative approach that may be safer. The study was published in Nature Chemical Biology on Sept. 18, 2025.

Genetic editing holds promise to treat incurable diseases, but the most popular method - CRISPR - sometimes does more harm than good.

A close partnership between academic institutions, industry, and the FDA is necessary for success in manufacturing personalized treatment. That’s a key message behind a talk at BPI this week, presented by Max Sellman of Aldevron. The post Collaboration Key to First Personalized mRNA-based CRISPR Therapy appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Tulane University researchers have developed an enhanced CRISPR-based tuberculosis test that works with a simple tongue swab, a potential breakthrough that could allow easier, community-based screenings for the world's deadliest infectious disease.

A new one-pot CRISPR mouth-swab assay detects tuberculosis from simple oral samples. This may allow faster, low-cost screening for hard-to-diagnose cases and low-resource settings, though the test is still in early development. The post CRISPR Mouth-Swab Test Could Transform Tuberculosis Screening appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Stanford Medicine researchers have developed an artificial intelligence tool to help scientists better plan gene-editing experiments.

CRISPRgenee is a new method that combines gene silencing and cutting to improve loss-of-function studies in human cells.

Editing with CRISPR-Cas9 may offer a path toward treating MSMDS, a disease with no effective treatment or cure. Researchers discuss with how they developed a bespoke base editor to treat this disease. The post CRISPR-Cas9 Treatment of Rare Vascular Disease, MSMDS appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Multisystemic smooth muscle dysfunction syndrome (MSMDS) is a rare condition associated with stroke, aortic dissection (tearing) and death in childhood.

Northwestern scientists have developed a new nanostructure that supercharges CRISPR’s ability to safely and efficiently enter cells, potentially unlocking its full power to treat genetic diseases. By wrapping CRISPR’s tools in spherical DNA-coated nanoparticles, researchers tripled gene-editing success rates, improved precision, and dramatically reduced toxicity compared to current methods.

Scientists study a molecular machine that moves jumping genes in DNA, paving the way for a new gene editing tool beyond CRISPR-Cas9.

A CRISPR system detects rare cancer mutations in blood with single-nucleotide precision, outperforming ddPCR through engineered RNA guides and isothermal amplification.

When scientists discovered how bacteria protect themselves against viral invaders, called phages, in the early 2000s, little did they know they'd stumbled upon a revolutionary tool researchers could use to edit the DNA of living cells.

Nature is the foremost international weekly scientific journal in the world and is the flagship journal for Nature Portfolio. It publishes the finest peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology on the basis of its originality, importance, interdisciplinary interest, timeliness, accessibility, elegance and surprising conclusions. Nature publishes landmark papers, award winning news, leading comment and expert opinion on important, topical scientific news and events that enable readers to share the latest discoveries in science and evolve the discussion amongst the global scientific community.

With the power to rewrite the genetic code underlying countless diseases, CRISPR holds immense promise to revolutionize medicine. But until scientists can deliver its gene-editing machinery safely and efficiently into relevant cells and tissues, that promise will remain out of reach.

With the power to rewrite the genetic code underlying countless diseases, CRISPR holds immense promise to revolutionize medicine. But until scientists can deliver its gene-editing machinery safely and efficiently into relevant cells and tissues, that promise will remain out of reach.

A new study suggests that novel CRISPR gene editing boosts natural killer cell function in cancer treatment.

Natural killer (NK) cells became markedly better at killing cancer cells after scientists removed key gene targets identified through a new genome-wide CRISPR screening tool, according to new research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

A new generation of CRISPR technology developed at UNSW Sydney offers a safer path to treating genetic diseases like Sickle Cell, while also proving beyond doubt that chemical tags on DNA - often thought to be little more than genetic cobwebs - actively silence genes.

A new generation of CRISPR technology developed at UNSW Sydney offers a safer path to treating genetic diseases like sickle cell, while also proving beyond doubt that chemical tags on DNA—often thought to be little more than genetic cobwebs—actively silence genes.

A research team headed by the University of Zurich has developed a powerful new method to precisely edit DNA by combining cutting-edge genetic engineering with artificial intelligence. The work has been published in Nature Biotechnology.

Scientists developed an AI-powered DNA editing method, enabling precise disease modeling and paving the way for advanced next-generation gene therapies.

Sens. Diagn.DOI: 10.1039/D5SD00083A, Critical Review Open Access   This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported Licence.Sakshi Seth, K. Sudhakara PrasadCirculating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has been established as a minimally invasive liquid biopsy biomarker with utility in the diagnosis of cancer, monitoring of treatment response, and detection of minimal residual...The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry

Scientists reported a time-resolved analysis of molecular processes that unfold when macrophages respond to specific pathogens and infection-linked stimuli, identifying a network of regulators that share the responsibility of triggering the most appropriate immune response. The post CRISPR Screen Uncovers How Macrophages Respond to Pathogens appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

The obesity rate has more than doubled in the last 30 years, affecting more than one billion people worldwide.

Sens. Diagn.DOI: 10.1039/D5SD00080G, Tutorial Review Open Access   This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported Licence.Ankush Kaushik, Yamini Saini, Saif Hameed, Jitendra Singh, Zeeshan FatimaTo address the problems linked with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) detection, we need an accurate, sensitive, and faster detection method for efficient epidemiological management for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis. Nucleic acid-based diagnosis...The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry

Getting CRISPR experiments right in the lab isn’t simple. Scientists need specialized domain knowledge and must spend hours perfecting the experimental design. All of that can change soon, however, thanks to AI. The post “CRISPR Meets GPT” to Supercharge Gene Editing appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

In a keynote talk during ’s “The State of CRISPR & Genome Editing” virtual summit, originally broadcast on June 11, 2025, Fyodor Urnov PhD, discussed the future of curing disease with CRISPR. The post Fyodor Urnov Discusses CRISPR Cures appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Although outbreaks of Ebola virus are rare, the disease is severe and often fatal, with few treatment options. Rather than targeting the virus itself, one promising therapeutic approach would be to interrupt proteins in the human host cell that the virus relies upon.

Editing a single amino acid in mosquitoes halts malaria transmission, spreading resistance through populations via a CRISPR-based allelic-drive system. The post Malaria Transmission Blocked by One-Amino-Acid Mosquito CRISPR Edit appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

A gene called SDR42E1 has been identified as a key player in how our bodies absorb and process vitamin D. Researchers found that disabling this gene in colorectal cancer cells not only crippled their survival but also disrupted thousands of other genes tied to cancer and metabolism. This opens the door to highly targeted cancer therapies—by either cutting off vitamin D supply to tumors or enhancing the gene’s activity to boost health. The findings hint at vast possibilities in treating diseases influenced by vitamin D, though long-term impacts remain uncertain.

Genes, fragments of DNA located on our chromosomes, control much of what happens in cells.