Glimpse Of A Future!

 

CRISPR Technology is revolutionizing the world. Now the question comes : What is CRISPR? Where did it come from? Does it have anything to do with crisp fries?  -Sad to break it to you, it has nothing to do with food. To answer all these questions first we must go way back to when it was first discovered.

CRISPR is a genome editing tool used in modern biotechnology. It stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats. CRISPR is a family of DNA sequences found within Bacteria and Archaea. In 1987, CRISPRs were first identified in E.coli. Bacteria use this system as their immune system when a bacterial virus infects them. Dr. Jennifer Doudna and Dr. Emmanuel Charpentier first discovered that the  CRISPR Cas9 system can be used as a genome editing tool in 2017. Since their discovery, genetic engineering has changed as past techniques were cumbersome, time-consuming, and not at all practical. This gene editing tool is very efficient, beneficial and time-convenient. This technology allows scientists to alter the genes in almost all organisms. Researchers took this system from bacteria and using it in eukaryotes.

CRISPR technology has become one of the hottest topics in recent years. The CRISPR-Cas9 technology has generated a lot of attention among scientists. CRISPR was employed as a potential therapeutic tool as well as a coronavirus diagnostic tool. Federal authorities approved Emergency Use Authorization for the SHERLOCK CRISPR SARS-CoV-2 test kit to be utilized in laboratory settings. By using CRISPR ,scientists have successfully removed HIV from living organisms. They did this research on three different animal models and got rid of the virus DNA and cleared up critical infections. Scientists just recently performed the first pig to human kidney transplant. They used CRISPR to turn off the genes that would usually cause the kidneys to be rejected by the human body. In addition to medical advancements, CRISPR may endow us with the gift of more sustainable biofuels. Recently, scientists engineered algae that generate twice as much biofuel material as their wild counterparts using a mix of gene editing technologies. 

Have you guys ever thought about a world filled with superheroes and supervillains? -I have. It will be super cool to have super strength or super intelligence like Tony Stark or Bruce Banner. CRISPR technology is getting close to making genetically modified babies. Researchers are designing babies to improve their intelligence and physical appearance. Researchers might develop babies like Homelander, Spiderman, Hulk etc. Few researchers are against this because these babies might be harmful for normal citizens. They might cause multiple issues for ordinary people from around the world. Because of ethical issues, scientists are holding back working on this project.

 Any of you ordered crispr eyes?- If so, your wish will soon be a reality. Along the way of innovation some scientists have come up with the idea of using CRISPR as a gene therapy. They used CRISPR therapy straight into the eyeballs of the visually impaired. There are two studies about curing blindness with CRISPR. In one of the studies, a legally blind patient regained her vision for over a year after getting a single injection of the CRISPR gene editing treatment. Multiple LCA(Leber Congenital Amaurosis) patients who participated in the second research were ecstatic that the gene editing procedure had improved their eyesight. The treatment is still in its infancy and has a long way to go before it can completely cure LCA, but some people have already noticed improvements that have had a profound influence on their everyday lives.

  In the last several years, CRISPR technologies have advanced dramatically, enabling accurate and diverse genome modification. CRISPR technology has been presented to be a savior for genetic diseases. CRISPR can become a vigorous asset for the modern era of medicine. It is changing the world. It will cure blindness and cure lethal diseases like cancer and repair genetic disorders like hemophilia. Some researchers hope that it can lead to a cure for aging. In my opinion, If scientists can overcome their limitations, the biotechnological world will have a drastic change. In brief, CRISPR technology is a game changer for the field of genetic engineering.