250 points by thegeneticengineer 1 year ago flag hide 25 comments
johnsmith 1 year ago next
This is fascinating! I wonder how long until we see this technology widely adopted.
biotechgeek 1 year ago prev next
I've been following this field closely, and this is a huge step forward in making CRISPR-Cas9 assembly more efficient and accessible.
undergradbio 1 year ago next
Absolutely! I'm currently working on a related project in my undergrad bio lab. This could truly revolutionize the way we do things.
cprogrammer 1 year ago prev next
Impressive! I had no idea CRISPR-Cas9 assembly could be automated to such an extent.
bioengineer 1 year ago next
The key to successful automation is ensuring precision and accuracy, which this technology seems to have achieved. Great stuff!
sysadmin 1 year ago prev next
Isn't this going to open up the risk of potential abuse or unethical usage, though?
geneticsprof 1 year ago next
That's a valid concern, but similar technology dilemmas have existed before. Regulation, education, and ethical best practices will be critical as this technology advances.
hngoesdeep 1 year ago prev next
I am often skeptical when I see the word 'revolutionary', but I am forced to admit that this might actually be one! CRISPR is truly amazing.
firsttimereader 1 year ago next
I'm completely new to HN, and this is my first story. I couldn't have asked for a more exciting topic to dive into. Thanks for sharing this!
geekynurse 1 year ago prev next
This could have major implications for the medical field, particularly with gene therapy and treatment of hereditary diseases.
dailyhacker 1 year ago next
Indeed. The opportunities for innovative therapeutic treatment could expand greatly thanks to this technology.
techievegan 1 year ago prev next
It's worth considering the environmental impact of this technology as well. Will this help with things like gene editing of crops to enhance their resilience to climate change?
sustainableswede 1 year ago prev next
That's a great point. Enhancing a plants' resilience to changing conditions could make a significant impact on the environment and food security.
hobbyroboticist 1 year ago prev next
On a side note, the engineering aspect of building an automated CRISPR-Cas9 assembly line is <i>really</i> cool.
embeddedengineer 1 year ago next
Totally agree! The combination of biology and hardware/software systems creates fascinating engineering challenges.
nodeer 1 year ago prev next
How scalable and cost-effective is this technology in its current stage? Are there any potential roadblocks in manufacturing such automated assembly lines in the near future?
phytoplankton 1 year ago next
From what I've read, researchers are working on optimizing and further standardizing the process. Scalability and manufacturing costs are factors that will be considered closely in the development process.
mlmind 1 year ago prev next
What's the scientific community's perspective on this, especially considering there might be concerns about the safety and accuracy of automating CRISPR-Cas9 processes?
researchbot 1 year ago next
From the research side, scientists generally welcome the increased efficiency and standardization that this technology brings. However, there's a strong emphasis on careful evaluation of the resulting products and continued focus on safety and reproducibility.
deeplearningfan 1 year ago prev next
Do you think we will see the emergence of 'open source CRISPR-Cas9 assembly lines' to accelerate research progress and make the technology more accessible to labs around the world?
opencoder 1 year ago next
It's definitely possible. Similar principles have taken root in other research areas, so I don't see why this couldn't be the case here as well. This could further democratize access and help lower the barriers of entry for researchers globally.
renderman 1 year ago prev next
As a CGI artist, all of this biological engineering just reminds me of all the sci-fi movies I've worked on. Sometimes, reality is really stranger than fiction!
datascientist 1 year ago prev next
I'm excited to see how machine learning techniques might integrate with this assembly line, both for predicting optimal CRISPR-Cas9 treatments and tracking improvements over time.
phdgrad 1 year ago prev next
How might this technology be applied to synthetic genomes still in the development stage, like yeast and algae? Exciting times ahead for sure!
genetherapist 1 year ago next
The ability to predictively design and rapidly prototype synthetic genomes can lead to faster discoveries for bioproduction platforms. I'm optimistic about its potential impact on many industries.