CRISPR News and Research

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In the late 1980s and mid-1990s, genomes of diverse lineages of bacteria and archaea (the latter representing a domain of single-celled prokaryotic microorganisms) revealed clusters of regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, known today under the abbreviation CRISPR. Later it was found that these repeat sequences (previously considered disparate) share a common set of features.

Study Reveals Pol Theta Role in Cancer DNA Repair

A cancer drug target already being investigated in clinical trials turns out to be doing something even more consequential than researchers realized.

8 Apr 2026

New Gene-Editing Approach Eliminates Painful Crises in Sickle Cell Disease

New results from a clinical trial show promising outcomes for a gene-edited treatment for severe sickle cell disease, a genetic blood disorder with few curative options.

2 Apr 2026

Nonviral Nanoparticles Show Promise for Safer Gene Delivery Methods

In a demonstration that helps pave the way for gene therapies with fewer side effects, several human cell types were genetically modified with protein nanoparticles designed at University of Michigan Engineering and Michigan Medicine.

1 Apr 2026

New Computational Tools Improve Gene Function Determination Within Fungal Organisms

While RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) has become a standard tool for profiling which genes are active in an organism, determining the actual biological functions of those genes in fungi remains a significant technical challenge. Most existing software tools are designed to cover a broad range of species, often lacking the specificity required for the unique genetic landscape of fungi.

31 Mar 2026

Newly Discovered CRISPR System Activates Genes Without Cutting DNA

In back-to-back studies published in Nature, researchers from Purdue University and Columbia University report a naturally evolved gene-editing system that can activate genes, offering an advantage over existing CRISPR gene-editing systems that merely find and cut DNA.

26 Mar 2026

Novel INSTALL Technology Achieves Non-Toxic Gene Integration in Multiple Cell Types

Genome editing-based therapies typically aim to treat disease by correcting underlying genetic mutations in patient's cells.

12 Mar 2026

Three CBX2 Molecules Found to Orchestrate Essential Stem Cell Fate Decisions

A new study has uncovered how an exceptionally scarce protein can orchestrate the assembly of large‑scale gene-silencing structures inside cells, and what happens when that process breaks down.

6 Mar 2026

How Catalytic RNA Redefined Enzymes and the Origin of Life

There have been many important discoveries along the path to what we know today about RNA, or ribonucleic acid-a molecule found in every living cell that helps carry and interpret genetic instructions.

2 Mar 2026

Engineered E. coli Produces Key Plant Compound at Record Levels

Researchers engineered E. coli to produce orsellinic acid-derived meroterpenoids, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional plant extraction methods.

25 Feb 2026

Precision Gene Editing Redefines Fruit Color in Polyploid Strawberry

Strawberry fruit color is primarily determined by anthocyanins, pigments synthesized through a tightly regulated metabolic pathway.

24 Feb 2026

Single-cell atlas reveals how melanoma evades the immune system

Integrative analysis of immune ecotypes in skin cancers highlights metabolic reprogramming and macrophage polarization as key factors in melanoma progression.

11 Feb 2026

New CRISPR Tool Actively Reverses Antibiotic Resistance Spread

Antibiotic resistance (AR) has steadily accelerated in recent years to become a global health crisis. As deadly bacteria evolve new ways to elude drug treatments for a variety of illnesses, a growing number of "superbugs" have emerged, ramping up estimates of more than 10 million worldwide deaths per year by 2050.

9 Feb 2026

New Gene-Editing Strategy to Eliminate Aggressive Cancer Cells

The initiation and severity of cancer are associated with the atypical behavior of specific genes, referred to as oncogenes. The most recognized of these changes is mutation; however, it is not the sole alteration.

9 Feb 2026

CRISPR Screen Reveals Genes Driving Human Muscle Development

Muscles make up nearly 40% of the human body and power every move we make, from a child’s first steps to recovery after injury. For some, however, muscle development goes awry, leading to weakness, delayed motor milestones or lifelong disabilities.

6 Feb 2026

Chemistry Breakthrough Improves Gene Delivery, Reduces Side Effects

Gene therapy holds the promise of preventing and curing disease by manipulating gene expression within a patient's cells.

5 Feb 2026

Human Neurons Reveal Why Some Cells Resist Tau Protein Buildup

New research by UCLA Health and UC San Francisco has uncovered why certain brain cells are more resilient than others to the buildup of a toxic protein that is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, potentially leading to new targets for therapies or treatments.

31 Jan 2026

Autism-Linked Mutations Converge on Shared Early Brain Pathways

UCLA Health researchers have created a comprehensive map showing how eight different genetic mutations associated with autism spectrum disorder affect early brain development, providing new insights into the ways diverse genetic causes may lead to shared features and symptoms of the disorder.

29 Jan 2026