CRISPR: Rewriting DNA and the future of humanity
with Dr. Megan Hochstrasser
POSTPONED
Doors at 6:00 PM, Talk at 7:00 PM
Cafe Leila, 1724 San Pablo Ave. Berkeley, CA
Developed in Berkeley in just 2012, the CRISPR-Cas9 system lets scientists rewrite DNA in living cells and organisms, editing the genetic code that defines life itself. The technology has already changed the face of basic research, allowing researchers to alter the DNA of hundreds of organisms. Powerful real-world applications are on the horizon—the first clinical trials to treat genetic diseases with CRISPR have already begun promising results and the first genome-edited crop is scheduled for commercial release within the next year or two. CRISPR expert and science communicator, Dr. Megan Hochstrasser, will describe how genome editing works, what it can do, and how important it is to grapple with CRISPR’s ethical implications sooner rather than later.
CRISPR/Cas-9 Gene editing
Dr. Megan Hochstrasser
Dr. Megan Hochstrasser is the science communications manager for the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), a research partnership between UC Berkeley, UC San Francisco, and the Gladstone Institutes, dedicated to improving and applying genome editing to solve major world problems. Megan has a B.A. in Biology from Brown University and received her Ph.D. from Jennifer Doudna’s lab at UC Berkeley in 2016, where she studied mechanisms of CRISPR immunity in bacteria. She joined the IGI in September 2016, hoping to bridge the gap between researchers and the public. Megan manages the IGI’s online presence and develops educational resources and programs, spearheading everything from mobile app development to community event planning. She regularly gives talks to students, teachers, scientists, journalists, physicians, and more. As a CRISPR expert and professional science communicator, Megan brings diverse audiences into the conversation about genome editing.
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what is the age of the target audience?
Hi!
We usually ask presenters to aim for a high-school age audience, but children are certainly welcome to come as well!