CRISPR Shows Promise for Coronavirus Testing
October 29, 2020
The new gene-editing tool CRISPR, whose discoverers just won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, is looking promising as the basis for rapid, accurate, and inexpensive tests to spot coronavirus infections. Though more development remains, “I believe we’ll see an impact during the current pandemic,” says Jennifer Doudna, a University of California-Berkeley chemist who helped pioneer the technology. In a recent Issues interview, she surveyed the potential benefits of CRISPR for human health, agriculture, and industry, while also calling for public input to ensure its responsible use.