Detecting Viruses with CRISPR: Applications and Technologies

Explore the cutting-edge applications of CRISPR technology in virus detection during this 31-minute webinar presented by Dr. Cameron Myhrvold, Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology at Princeton University. Delve into the revolutionary potential of the RNA-targeting CRISPR effector protein Cas13, discovered in 2016, and its myriad applications in biosciences. Learn about point-of-care nucleic acid detection technologies like HUDSON and SHINE, as well as massively multiplexed nucleic acid detection methods such as CARMEN. Discover how these innovative approaches are being used to detect and destroy viral RNA, with particular emphasis on their potential for COVID-19 testing and tracking the spread of variants like Omicron. Gain insights into the development of CRISPR-based technologies for studying RNA and their implications for future advancements in virus detection and control.

Intro
Where do we want to detect viruses?
CRISPR allows bacteria to defend themselves against phages
Cas13 is the RNA-targeting equivalent of Cas9
Cas13 has similar potential to Cas9 but for RNA
Using Cas13 to detect nucleic acids
SHERLOCK uses Cas13 for sensitive nucleic acid detection
SHERLOCK can work at the point of care
SHINE V1 (Streamlined Highlighting of Infections to Navigate Epidemics)
SHINE v2: towards at-home COVID-19 testing
SHINE v2 outperforms rapid antigen tests
SHINE v2 can be incubated using body heat
Can we scale up SHERLOCK?
CARMEN - SHERLOCK at massive multiplex
Microfluidic CARMEN (mCARMEN)
Developing a CARMEN respiratory virus panel (RVP)
Streamlining the workflow of CARMEN-RVP
CARMEN-RVP has exquisite analytical sensitivity
The CARMEN Variant Identification Panel (VIP)
SARS-CoV-2 lineage identification with the VIP
Omicron produces a unique signature on the VIP
Tracking the spread of Omicron in Massachussetts
Acknowledgements
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