CRISPR is a revolutionary tool that allows scientists to precisely modify the genome and gene expression of cells in any organism. It's a reagent-;a substance that facilitates a reaction-;that combines an enzyme with a programmable RNA capable of locating specific genetic sequences. Once guided to the correct spot, the enzyme acts like a pair of scissors, cutting, replacing, or deleting sequences of DNA.
Researchers are now using the technology to, among many things, treat genetic diseases, develop medical therapeutics, and design diagnostic tools. "CRISPR is very powerful, but it comes with side effects," says Lehigh University bioengineering researcher Tomas Gonzalez-Fernandez, an assistant professor in the P.C.
Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. "By modifying one gene, we can switch on or switch off many different genes that are associated with that gene, leading to unexpected results." Gonzalez-Fernandez and his team recently received a grant from the National Science Foundation to address this side effect, specifically when it comes to modifying genes for desired therapeutic outcomes.
Gonzalez-Fernandez has put together an interdisciplinary team with Rossin College faculty members Yu Zhang, an assistant professor of bioengineering, and Lifang He, an assistant professor of computer science and engineering, as well as Joshua Graham, a third-year PhD student in bioengineering advised by Gonzalez-Fernandez. Together, they are applying computer modeling and de.
