Scientists have developed a potentially breakthrough
CRISPR gene-editing tool.
It could allow researchers to take fragments
of DNA extracted from human cells, put them
into a test tube, and quickly and precisely
engineer multiple changes to the genetic code.
This discovery of Delaware's Gene Editing
Institute could rapidly advance personalized
cancer care.
This new "cell-free" CRISPR technology is
the first CRISPR tool capable of making multiple
edits to DNA samples "in vitro," which means
in a test tube or petri dish.
The advance could have immediate value as
a diagnostic tool, replicating the exact genetic
mutations found in the tumors of individual
cancer patients.
Mutations that cause cancer to spread can
differ from patient to patient, and being
able to quickly identify the correct mutation
affecting an individual patient can allow
clinicians to implement a more targeted treatment
strategy.
