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  • Written by William Isdale, Research Assistant, Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne
imageEditing DNA has the potential to treat disease by repairing or removing defective genes. Kyle Lawson/flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

CRISPR, or clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, is a technology that is able to alter DNA.

While this sounds like the realms of science fiction, right now scientists are investigating its potential to eliminate genetic diseases in humans by repairing or replacing defective genes.

The University of Melbourne’s William Isdale spoke with Professor Peter Koopman from the University of Queensland about his research into CRISPR and the possibilities it could offer to future generations, as well as those suffering from genetic conditions right now.


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William Isdale does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond the academic appointment above.

Authors: William Isdale, Research Assistant, Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne

Read more http://theconversation.com/speaking-with-professor-peter-koopman-on-crispr-and-the-power-of-genome-editing-78108

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