Controversial gene-editing technology could improve our world

MIDDLEBURY — Gene editing is a fairly new technology but it has already breached most everyone’s day-to-day life in the form of genetically modified organisms, more commonly known as GMOs. However, this advanced technology is still somewhat obscure to the general public, including our own community in Middlebury. By surveying 109 people from Middlebury College and the greater Middlebury community, we found that 75 percent of participants had heard of gene editing and had some idea of what it is, and 25 perc … (read more)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Anqh0MMmLjs&t=76s MIDDLEBURY — The 12 members of Professor Lindsay Repka’s CHEM 0322 – Biochemistry of Macromolecules course at Middlebury College this spring studied CRISPR, the gene-editing technology, and produced a … (read more)

1) What is CRISPR and how does it work? CRISPR is a set of DNA sequences included in the genomes of bacteria. Natively, bacteria use CRISPR to protect themselves from viruses. Through extensive research, scientists have repurposed CRISPR to target and mod … (read more)

With the expansive genome sequencing of humans, animals and plants, researchers now have access to information that would allow specific manipulation of gene sequences. Using CRISPR technology, selected genes can be altered. This has incredible implicatio … (read more)

At first glance, CRISPR may seem like a groundbreaking, never-before-seen technology, and in some ways it is. However, the basic principles behind CRISPR and other gene editing technologies date back thousands of years. When farmers first began selectivel … (read more)

Ross Conrad of Dancing Bee Gardens spoke with passion to Middlebury College students about the gene editing and CRISPR. Unfortunately, the audio was not usable, but here are written notes on the conversation. Have you ever heard of gene editing? Yes What … (read more)

Gene editing is a fairly new technology but it has already breached most everyone’s day-to-day life in the form of genetically modified organisms. However, this advanced technology is still somewhat obscure to the general public. Let’s learn more.

Still hungry for more information on CRISPR-Cas9? Follow these links and read the book that inspired the Middlebury College Chem 0322 class to explore further: The book that inspired this project: Doudna, Jennifer A., and Sternberg, Samuel H. (2017) “A Cr … (read more)