Biologycalendar_todayLast updated: Apr 2026
What is CRISPR?
/ˌkrɪˈspər/
CRISPR-Cas9 is a gene editing tool derived from a bacterial immune system that acts like molecular scissors — it can locate a specific DNA sequence and cut, correct, or replace it with precision.
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Everyday Example
CRISPR works like a GPS-guided scalpel: scientists design a guide molecule that navigates to an exact location in the 3-billion-letter human genome and makes a precise cut.
publicReal-World Application
“Researchers have used CRISPR to make pig organs compatible with humans for transplantation, eliminate malaria-carrying mosquitoes, and develop cancer therapies in clinical trials.”
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Did you know?
CRISPR was discovered in bacteria in the 1980s but its potential as a gene-editing tool was not recognised until Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier's 2012 paper, which won them the 2020 Nobel Prize.
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Key Insight
CRISPR reduced the cost of gene editing from hundreds of thousands of pounds to a few hundred, democratising genetic research and accelerating medical applications by decades.
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