“CRISPR Cuts” Podcast Explores the Hurdles of CRISPR Delivery

Once in the nucleus, Cas9 is a formidable cutter, searching out a pre-programmed DNA sequence to target and slice. Although the process of searching through billions of base pairs may sound daunting, it pales in comparison to the difficulty of specifically introducing Cas9 into desired cell types. Targeted delivery is a necessary step in developing effective CRISPR therapies to treat a range of diseases, many of which are localized to specific areas of the body. Scientists are fervently working to develop new delivery methods, showcasing creativity, ingenuity, and originality in their quest to bring CRISPR to the clinic.

“We are developing a ‘plug-and-play’ platform that should actually be, once it’s up and running, pretty adaptable to different cell types.”

Dana Foss, Postdoctoral Scholar in the Wilson lab at UC Berkeley and affiliated with the IGI, sits down with Meenakshi Prabhune, host of CRISPR Cuts, to discuss the hurdles of Cas9 delivery and the steps her team is taking to direct CRISPR molecules to specific cells.

How is Dana tackling one of the most difficult steps in therapeutic genome engineering? Listen to find out!

Click to hear the full, 16-minute episode below, or download wherever you get your podcasts:

Dana Foss is Solving the CRISPR Delivery Problem to Advance Therapeutics
CRISPR Cuts | Synthego | May 22, 2019