IGI Announces 2015 CRISPR Workshop: Routes to Designer Biology

The IGI’s new CRISPR Workshop: Routes: Routes to Designer Biology (July 20–24, 2015) will give participants a unique opportunity to learn about CRISPR technology directly from Breakthrough Prize winner Jennifer Doudna, as well as other distinguished presenters who are pioneers and current practitioners in the field of genetic engineering and who have led the development of applications to various organisms.

Guest presenters will address a broad range of topics, such as genome editing basics, the discovery of CRISPR-Cas9, relevant aspects of DNA repair, Cas9 structure and mechanism, multiplexing, bioinformatics, various real-world applications, and bioethics.  Lecture presentations will be augmented by daily small group sessions in which presenters, scientists and IGI staff will engage participants in dynamic discussions on the cutting-edge research with CRISPR-Cas9.

This new workshop is designed for scientists in academia and industry who want to initiate or expand the use of CRISPR technology in their research.  The workshop organizer, Dana Carroll, Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Utah, believes that it is coming at a pivotal time in the development of CRISPR research with many people around the world turning to the technology for their own purposes: “In presenting this workshop, we hope to facilitate the broad adoption and continued development of the CRISPR tools.”

Workshop Description:  The Innovative Genomics Initiative (IGI) is offering a 1-week lecture-based genome editing workshop at UC Berkeley on July 20–24, 2015.  Scheduled presenters (listed below) will address specialized topics in genome editing and CRISPR-Cas9 research, including background and basic engineering, structures and mechanisms, multiplexing, bioinformatics, technology applications and bioethics.  Small group sessions will enable direct interactions among students, lecturers and IGI staff to facilitate focused discussions on cutting-edge research experimental techniques, theory and applications.

Application Criteria:  This workshop is designed for scientists in academia and industry who want to initiate or expand the use of CRISPR technology in their research. A working knowledge of basic molecular biology will be assumed. Applications from graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and more senior researchers are welcome.

Scheduled Presenters:

• Dana Carroll – University of Utah
• Jacob Corn – Innovative Genomics Initiative
• Jennifer Doudna – Innovative Genomics Initiative; University of California, Berkeley; HHMI
• Scott Fahrenkrug – Recombinetics, Inc.; University of Minnesota
• Hank Greely – Stanford University
• Richard Harland – University of California, Berkeley
• Dirk Hockemeyer – University of California, Berkeley
• Barbara Meyer – University of California, Berkeley; HHMI
• Fyodor Urnov – Sangamo Biosciences; University of California, Berkeley
• Daniel Voytas – University of Minnesota
• Jonathan Weissman – University of California, San Francisco; HHMI