What started off as curiosity-driven research at UC Berkeley has quickly led to a revolution in genome engineering. Scientists around the world are using CRISPR technology to treat genetic diseases, engineer food systems, and study the world around us. Kevin Doxzen, science communications specialist at the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), will break down the basics and recent advancements in CRISPR technology and highlight work under way at IGI. Ethics, access, and societal impact will also be discussed. You’ll also hear about IGI’s rapid COVID-19 response and learn how scientists plan to use CRISPR as viral detection and treatment tools.