First CRISPR-Based Therapies For Sickle Cell Disease and Beta Thalassemia Approved In The UK

A giemsa stained blood smear from a person with beta thalassemia (Credit: Dr Graham Beards, Wikimedia Commons)

The gene-therapy-based treatment called Casgevy was recently approved in the UK, making it the first time that a treatment based on the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing tool has been authorized for …read more Continue reading First CRISPR-Based Therapies For Sickle Cell Disease and Beta Thalassemia Approved In The UK

One-off gene-editing treatment lowers inherited bad cholesterol levels

Researchers have presented the interim results of a clinical trial that used a single infusion of CRISPR gene-editing technology to permanently switch off low-density lipoprotein cholesterol production in people with a genetic condition that causes ele… Continue reading One-off gene-editing treatment lowers inherited bad cholesterol levels

Thousands of Fanzor DNA cutters that may outperform CRISPR identified

Following on from the discovery of programmable DNA-cutting enzymes known as Fanzors, scientists have found that a diverse range of species possess these genetic ‘scissors’, which presents a massive opportunity in the development of new medicines, gene… Continue reading Thousands of Fanzor DNA cutters that may outperform CRISPR identified

New gene-editing tool reduces unintended mutations by more than 70%

Researchers have found that splitting the gene editor used in traditional CRISPR technology creates a more precise tool that can be switched on and off, with significantly less chance of causing unintended genome mutations. They say their novel tool ca… Continue reading New gene-editing tool reduces unintended mutations by more than 70%

Bionic silkworms with spider genes spin fibers 6x tougher than Kevlar

For the first time, scientists have successfully produced full-length spider silk fibers using genetically modified silkworms. With high strength and toughness, this silk has the potential to provide a scalable, sustainable and better-quality alternati… Continue reading Bionic silkworms with spider genes spin fibers 6x tougher than Kevlar

CRISPR tweaks tree genetics to make paper more suastainably

Conventional breeding of trees takes time, but CRISPR gene editing should help speed things up. Now, scientists at North Carolina State University have used CRISPR to adjust the genomes of poplar trees to make them easier to turn into paper products.Co… Continue reading CRISPR tweaks tree genetics to make paper more suastainably

Cancer breakthrough uses CRISPR to target extra chromosomes

Yale scientists have discovered a new potential treatment avenue to fight cancer. Using CRISPR gene-editing, the team eliminated extra chromosomes from cancer cells and found that they could no longer grow out of control.Continue ReadingCategory: Medic… Continue reading Cancer breakthrough uses CRISPR to target extra chromosomes

Potential CRISPR alternative gene-editing tool occurs naturally in animals

CRISPR-Cas9 has been the household name of genetic engineering tools over the past decade, but there might be other, better ways. MIT scientists have now demonstrated an alternative called Fanzor, which is naturally found in animals so could be a bette… Continue reading Potential CRISPR alternative gene-editing tool occurs naturally in animals

First-of-its-kind noninvasive CRISPR method knocks out anxiety gene

Anxiety affects many people, and for some, medication doesn’t help. Researchers have developed a novel, noninvasive method of delivering CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology into the brain – previously a challenge – to knock out a gene that causes anxie… Continue reading First-of-its-kind noninvasive CRISPR method knocks out anxiety gene