CRISPR

Scientists have demonstrated an intriguing new variation on the CRISPR gene-editing system, which involves fixing a mutation on one chromosome by copying a healthy version from the other. “Nicking” the DNA also seemed to work better than cutting it.

As important as CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing is, it has a relatively high error rate, which can introduce potentially harmful mutations. German researchers have now developed a more refined tool that reduces errors by nicking DNA instead of cutting it.

Incredible new data has revealed an experimental CRISPR gene editing therapy is both safe and effective up to three years after treatment. The results come from one of the longest running trials using CRISPR to treat a pair of rare blood diseases.

Researchers at the University of Maryland have developed a new gene-editing system they call CRISPR-Combo, which can edit multiple genes at once while also changing the expression of others in plants, to increase efficiency of genetic engineering.

Vitamin D deficiency is a growing health issue, but very few foods are rich in the nutrient. To help combat the problem, scientists have now used CRISPR gene editing to fortify tomatoes with vitamin D.

The biology behind social behavior may be more complex than we thought. Researchers have used CRISPR to block a certain neurochemical signaling pathway in hamsters, and found that the animals’ social behaviors changed in unexpected ways.

An intriguing new study has zeroed in on a brain region that is central to the development of both alcohol abuse and anxiety in adults, and demonstrated how gene editing could be used to wipe clean a person's predisposition to both disorders.

A single protein called Fel d 1 is responsible for the lion's share of human cat allergies, but a company called InBio says its initial research indicates a promising possibility that this protein can be eliminated safely using CRISPR gene editing.

CRISPR gene-editing is a powerful tool, but unfortunately it can edit the wrong DNA sequences. Now, researchers have identified a previously unknown structure of the protein that drives these mistakes, and tweaked it to reduce off-target mutations.

We've seen exciting progress made in genetically modifying mosquitos to fight malaria, and now scientists have used CRISPR technology to edit the genes of ticks for the first time, a significant breakthrough in the battle against Lyme disease.

In a historic procedure surgeons have, for the first time, transplanted a genetically modified pig heart into a living human. The patient is still alive, has not rejected the organ and is being monitored at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Researchers in China have developed a new three-pronged method to fight liver cancer that shows promise in tests in mice. The technique combines drugs and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing into lipid nanoparticles, then activates them with ultrasound.