Wednesday Colloquia

Reading and writing the genome with precision

by Dr. Debojyoti Chakraborty (CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi)

Wednesday, September 8, 2021 from to (Asia/Kolkata)
at Online through ZOOM Webinar ( Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/97963259354?pwd=ZFZsa2xqWGJSZW5pUjZPNkNqeGlEZz09 )
Meeting ID: 979 6325 9354 Pass code: 04072020
Description
The advent of CRISPR-Cas (Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR associated) makes it feasible to target/edit the genome with precision. However, non specific binding and DNA damage still remains a concern as CRISPR enters the clinic. Our lab has recently characterized an orthogonal Cas9 which shows remarkable specificity for identifying and making changes in DNA. This high specificity to even single base pair mismatches  makes it possible to target and edit SNPs with precision. As a proof-of-concept, this has been shown by the correction of the Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) point mutation and the detection of SCD/COVID-19 by FELUDA (FnCas9 linked uniform detection assay, a paperstrip CRISPR assay commercially known as TATA MD Check). We are currently proceeding towards using engineered FnCas9 for preclinical and clinical trials of CRISPR therapeutics in India.

References: 

1. Kumar and Gulati et al., eLife 2021; 

2. Acharya et al., PNAS 2019