The 2019 Nobel prize in Chemistry went to Doudna and Charpentier for “the development of a method for genome editing”, thereby acknowledging the potential for CRISPR technology to impact mankind. As such, there couldn’t be a more opportune moment to hold a CRISPR training course.
CRISPR was propelled into mainstream media by reports of the first ‘CRISPR babies’; genetically altered to carry a mutation associated with HIV resistance. Due to this study’s breach of ethical standards, CRISPR technology entered the vocabulary of many non-specialists and even the general public. In recent months however, CRISPR technology has been used in the development of COVID-19 diagnostics that outperform conventional testing methods. While these two examples demonstrate medically related uses of CRISPR, the technology has also been applied to agriculture, biofuel production and pest control. It is within the overlap of disciplines that new possibilities and pathways to solving today’s global challenges emerge.
With this being said, inspiration can only go so far. Even though most scientists have heard of CRISPR, for many it remains tentatively out of reach. The vast array of literature and unfamiliar nomenclature can often act as a barrier to non-specialists. This course aims to make CRISPR accessible by using simplified, user-friendly examples. And in combination with hands-on training, scientists from any background will be able to navigate the plethora of CRISPR bioinformatics tools, species variants and delivery formats in order to develop novel research.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this course, participants will be able to:
-Understand the range of components necessary for a functional CRISPR system.
-Design sgRNA sequences using bioinformatic tools.
-Make decisions on the choice of CRISPR delivery method for their own studies.
-Perform a gene editing experiment in mammalian cells and quantify the gene editing efficiency.
-Design a CRISPR project tailored to their own interests.
Who should attend
This course is designed for those with an interest in CRISPR-Cas systems for use in conventional gene-editing studies, or for novel applications in fields such as chemical and process engineering, agriculture, sustainability, bioengineering, biotechnology, and nanotechnology.
This course is particularly aimed at those without direct access to training in synthetic biology. Experience in aseptic technique is preferred. PhD candidates in their year 2+ of their studies and postdoctoral researchers would benefit most from this workshop.
Benefits of attending
Attendee numbers are limited to ensure sufficient guidance by experienced demonstrators is possible. Further, tutorial style sessions grant participants time to discuss designs for their own CRISPR project.
This event is sponsored by New England Biolabs (NEB), a supplier of molecular biology products including CRISPR gene-editing reagents. Using reagents from this supplier offers participants easy access to a list of consumables. Sponsorship from The Biochemical Society allows us to offer this course at a subsidised rate compared to similar courses.
Course methods
This course uses interactive virtual sessions to engage participants in CRISPR theory, bioinformatics and experimental design. These sessions are complemented by practical, hands-on training using mammalian cells as a model organism.