CRISPR
A precise gene-editing technology derived from a bacterial immune system. Allows scientists to edit DNA sequences in living cells with letter-level accuracy.
CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) is a gene-editing tool that originated as a bacterial defence system against viruses. Scientists adapted it into a programmable molecular scalpel that can find and modify specific DNA sequences in any organism.
The most common variant, CRISPR-Cas9, uses a guide RNA to direct the Cas9 protein to a target DNA sequence, where it makes a precise cut. The cell then either disables the gene or pastes in new genetic material via the natural repair machinery.
CRISPR has already produced FDA-approved therapies for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia, with many more in clinical trials. The 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry recognised its discovery.