How does CRISPR gene editing work?

Gemma Marfany y Julián Cerón
Moderator: Ma. Emilia Beyer

In 2020, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna, two scientists who revolutionised the field of genetics and biotechnology thanks to a gene editing tool, the CRISPR-Cas9.  On the surface, CRISPR-Cas9 is a promising, futuristic medical tool, making it possible to mitigate or cure genetic illnesses by simply “cutting and pasting” pieces of genetic material in the right places. Gemma Marfany, an expert in gene therapy, will talk to science researcher Julián Cerón about this potential (fulfilled and yet to be fulfilled), bioethics and the obstacles that still stand in the way of the total success of these microscopic “scissors”. The experts will be sharing their experiences in the scientific field,  explaining the workings and scope of CRISPR-Cas9 and showing why the world of science is so excited about it.