Few discoveries can completely transform an existing discipline, and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology is one such breakthrough discoveries. It is not just a gene-editing tool, but a concept that allows scientists to manipulate cells like never before. With potential impact not just in the healthcare sector, the applications and the demand of the technology are set to expand exponentially.

CRISPR technology is undoubtedly one of the breakthrough discoveries in this era in genetic engineering. Originally discovered as an intrinsic component of prokaryotic defence against viruses, the CRISPR/Cas system has the prospect of becoming the leading technology in medical research, industrial biology, agriculture, and biofuel in the future. Based on the effector genes, the CRISPR/Cas system can be functionally classified into classes 1 and 2. Class 2 contains a single effector nuclease and finds the most extensive applications, and includes type II (such as CRISPR/Cas9 system), V, and VI CRISPR/Cas systems. Whereas, the class 1 CRISPR system consists of multiple subunits of effector nuclease complexes, and includes the type I, III, and IV CRISPR/Cas systems.

Owing to its precise gene-editing capability, CRISPR has accelerated research related to drug design to treat diseases such as HIV and cancer that have since long remained a challenge for conventional therapeutics. In agriculture, it has helped to improve crop yield, resistivity to diseases, pests, heat and droughts, and improving nutritional content. The technology also finds application in cattle breeding programs. It allows targeted mutations such as insertion, deletion, or regulation of gene expression to obtain desirable phenotypes, improved productivity and resistance to certain diseases. If researched extensively, CRISPR/Cas system has an unprecedented scope of DNA rewriting, and together with synthetic biology it can build complex and programmable gene circuits, and expand its current applications in therapeutics, diagnostics, and biotechnology.

The course will be launch to provide a comprehensive insight into the fundamental aspects of CRISPR technology and will aim to inform you about the emerging, cutting-edge research technologies and advanced tools used in biomedical research.