Applying CRISPR to Coronavirus Testing
April 23, 2020
In an early advance that might ultimately help with widespread testing for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19—a capability considered necessary before masses of people can resume everyday activities—researchers have developed an assay that uses the gene-editing tool CRISPR to provide rapid results. For an inside look at CRISPR, one of its discoverers, Jennifer Doudna, described in an Issues interview its broad potential, while also calling for input from scientists and the public to “ensure that new discoveries are applied responsibly for the benefit of society.”