CRISPR/Cas9: The Brave New World of Genetic Engineering
Abstract
In the last decade, breakthroughs in genetic engineering have produced a new genetic editing tool called CRISPR/Cas9—a technology so robust that it can modify DNA sequences in virtually any living organism with incredible precision.1-4 Adapted from an ancient microbial defense system, CRISPR/Cas9 can be programmed to remove, edit, and insert new genetic material—from large gene multiplexes to a single DNA base-pair.2,5 CRISPR/Cas9 has been heralded for its simplicity, inexpensiveness, and array of applications in biology, biotechnology, and medicine.1 The explosive rise of CRISPR/Cas9 in research and the media has yielded intense excitement and controversy worldwide.2-5 As this genetic engineering revolution evolves faster than regulations to control it, the question becomes: how can we wield a technology powerful enough to remodel the human genome, yet simple enough to be performed by an undergraduate student?
