ICYMI: The role of CRISPR in the fight against COVID-19

Society for Science and the Public ^ | 06/04/2020 | Wendy Li

[Jan_Sobieski]

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to threaten public health, scientists throughout the world have been working around the clock to develop effective treatments against COVID-19. CRISPR gene editing is one of the techniques researchers are using. During the Virtual Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), Tina Hesman Saey, Senior Writer and molecular biology reporter at Science News, spoke with Feng Zhang (ISEF 1998-1999, STS 2000), one of the pioneers of CRISPR technology, about CRISPR’s role in fighting COVID-19.

Feng shared three main ways CRISPR is being used to fight COVID-19:

As a diagnostic, CRISPR-based tests have been developed to detect coronavirus signatures in patient samples like nose swabs or saliva. One example is the rapid test Feng and his colleagues made in collaboration with Sherlock Biosciences. The test was granted “emergency use authorization” by the FDA in early May.

To better understand how the coronavirus infects cells. “Using CRISPR, scientists can inactivate or activate different genes in our cells to figure out what the anchors are that the coronavirus needs to latch onto,” Feng explained. Understanding what these anchors are can in turn help researchers come up with drugs to possibly block the virus.

Using CRISPR as a therapeutic. While this a longer-term project, Feng mentioned there are already people looking into how CRISPR can be used to directly destroy the virus.

[Jan_Sobieski]

I have been in an ongoing debate with 2 purported Freeper “Doctors“ telling me I am stupid, idiotic, and a dullard for saying this new generation of Covid-19 vaccines will have the ability to edit our genes using CRISPR Technology. They offer no Factual evidence to support their assertions. They merely tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about, but they do because they are “Doctors”.

So I send them Articles like this PROVING researchers and scientists are using Gene Editing CRISPR technology in vaccine development. Once again, I am called stupid, because they are Doctors and I am not. Perhaps I should not believe my “lying eyes?”

[2aProtectsTheRest]

According to the linked article, no gene editing is happening inside any living human being.

The research is focused on three main areas:

1) Developing a rapid test so that samples submitted to a lab can be quickly screened for possible COVID-19 infection

2) In lab experiments using human cells in a culture to better understand how SARS-CoV-2 infects human cells.

3) Research for future projects looking at various possible methods for destroying the virus. In theory, this could include something like a modified virus that selectively attacks and destroys already-infected cells, cutting short viral replication. It could mean other things too, but there’s nothing specific at this point. It’s purely basic research.

None of this has anything to do with editing a living human being’s DNA. There would be no purpose for that, nothing to gain, everything to lose. You can’t edit DNA in such a way to mind control people or make them sprout wings. That’s not how it works.

[chopperk]

Simple solution to the pandemic,,,,Make HCQ and Azithromycin OTC drugs so anyone who develops a cough and/or fever can go the nearest drug store and self medicate with the drugs along with Zinc Sulfate with correct dosage within 48 hours of symptoms and pandemic over.,,,,,instead of waiting a few days to get tested and 5 days for the results,,,,if over 60 years of age,,,,you’re dead.