A frugal CRISPR kit for equitable and accessible education in gene editing and synthetic biology
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Equitable and accessible education on life sciences and bioengineering is crucial to training the next generation of scientists, fostering transparency in public decision-making, and ensuring biotechnology democratization that can benefit a wide-ranging population. As a ground-breaking technology for genome engineering, CRISPR has transformed research and therapeutics. However, hands-on exposure to this technology for educational purposes has remained restricted, primarily due to extensive resources required to execute CRISPR experiments. In this study, we develop an accessible and frugal CRISPR kit, tailored for K-12 education settings. Our CRISPR kit eliminates the need for equipment, prioritizes biosafety, and utilizes cost-effective reagents. By combining CRISPRi gene regulation, chromoproteins, cell-free transcription-translation systems, and smartphone-based quantification, our kit offers a user-friendly approach and a reliable assessment of CRISPR activity, eliminating the need for a traditional laboratory setup. Experiments conducted by high school students in real-world settings highlight the kit’s utility for conducting reliable CRISPR experiments. The frugal CRISPR kit provides a modular and expandable platform to offer hands-on experience in genome engineering, and will facilitate equitable and accessible education and technology democratization for communities of diverse socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds.
Source: Nature Communications
Authors: Marvin Collins, Matthew B. Lau, William Ma, Aidan Shen, Brenda Wang, Sa Cai, Marie La Russa, Michael C. Jewett, Lei S. Qi
Institutions: Stanford University, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,790
Funders: National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Stanford Bio-X, National Institute on Aging, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems, Army Research Office
Awards: Collaborative Research: Cell-free glycoprotein synthesis technology for point-of-care vaccine biomanufacturing, Development of multi-color 3D super-localization LiveFISH and LiveFISH PAINT to investigate the chromatin dynamics at any genomic scale, G3241614447, CAREER: Investigating Chromatin Dynamics Underlying Activity-Induced Neuronal Transcription Using CRISPR Technologies, G5536892680, INTEGRATING CELL-FREE SYSTEMS AND GENOME ENGINEERING TO ACCELERATE BIOSYSTEMS DESIGN FOR CARBON-NEGATIVE BIOMANUFACTURING, G6671297155, G7452299184, G8055524459, Probing relationships between DNA methylation and cellular senescence with high-throughput CRISPR-based epigenetic editing, Manipulating and Interrogating Spatial Transcriptomics, High resolution dissection of oncogene enhancer networks via CRISPR screening and live-cell imaging.
OpenAlex ID: W4401241830