Gene Editing Technology with CRISPR-Cas9 

and

Pursuing an Undergraduate Science Degree at the University of Oregon

The three most common types of cancer treatment are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Surgery is ideal to remove masses, but when cancer advances it quickly moves throughout the body and becomes much more difficult to get rid of. The only cure for sickle cell disease is a stem cell or bone marrow transplant, but these are high-risk procedures and are not done often. Huntington’s disease currently has no known cure, and treatment is aimed at reducing symptoms. But what if we had a way to remove the cause of these diseases at the cellular level rather than responding to them as they progress?

In 2013, researchers at the Broad Insitute in Boston found a way to successfully edit the genome of a mouse or human cell using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. The genome is made up of DNA and contains your body’s complete set of genetic information. CRISPR-Cas9 revolutionized the field of genetic engineering by providing scientists an easy way to edit a cell’s genetic code. Though CRISPR-Cas9 opened up a set of exciting new possibilities for clinical research, there are also a number of legal and ethical concerns surrounding the implication of genetic manipulation. Whether the benefits of gene editing outweigh the potential consequences and how to regulate research in this field remain hotly-contested questions in the field of bioethics.

In this presentation, we will also discuss the undergraduate experience from the perspective of a current senior.

See the slides and presentation here. 

About the speaker: Maya Pande

During my sophomore year of high school, I read an article about targeted therapy that changed my life. It was my first exposure to real scientific research, and I knew from then on that I wanted to study science. It is a field that is always changing and there is endless potential to impact the lives of others.

Growing up in Portland, I spent my childhood driving down to Eugene to visit my older cousins at university. By the time I had to decide on a college, there was no question in my mind that I wanted to go to the University of Oregon. I decided to pursue a double major in biochemistry and political science because I am interested in both fields and believe that the natural and social sciences are deeply intertwined in practice. During my first year of college, I was lucky enough to meet Andy Marcus and begin working in his lab. I have loved my experience in the Marcus lab because we tie together the fields of physics, chemistry, and biology, something you don’t often see in an undergraduate classroom.