Scientists can now edit genes with remarkable precision, allowing them to rewrite the code of life much like editing a sentence. In this hands-on experience, you will step into the role of a genetic engineer and use CRISPR, one of the most powerful tools in modern biology, to modify bacterial DNA. Your mission will be to help E. coli acquire resistance to an antibiotic by introducing new genetic instructions. You will learn how scientists prepare cells to accept new DNA, use the CRISPR Cas9 system, a programmable molecular tool, to cut and edit genes, and analyze the results by observing how the bacteria grow. Along the way, you will discover how CRISPR is being used to develop treatments for genetic diseases, improve crops, and advance biomedical research.
Prerequisites: No prior lab experience is required, only curiosity and an interest in exploring the science that is transforming our ability to understand and engineer living systems.