250 points by thegeneticengineer 6 months ago flag hide 25 comments
johnsmith 6 months ago next
This is fascinating! I wonder how long until we see this technology widely adopted.
biotechgeek 6 months 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 6 months 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 6 months ago prev next
Impressive! I had no idea CRISPR-Cas9 assembly could be automated to such an extent.
bioengineer 6 months ago next
The key to successful automation is ensuring precision and accuracy, which this technology seems to have achieved. Great stuff!
sysadmin 6 months ago prev next
Isn't this going to open up the risk of potential abuse or unethical usage, though?
geneticsprof 6 months 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 6 months 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 6 months 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 6 months ago prev next
This could have major implications for the medical field, particularly with gene therapy and treatment of hereditary diseases.
dailyhacker 6 months ago next
Indeed. The opportunities for innovative therapeutic treatment could expand greatly thanks to this technology.
techievegan 6 months 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 6 months 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 6 months ago prev next
On a side note, the engineering aspect of building an automated CRISPR-Cas9 assembly line is <i>really</i> cool.
embeddedengineer 6 months ago next
Totally agree! The combination of biology and hardware/software systems creates fascinating engineering challenges.
nodeer 6 months 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 6 months 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 6 months 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 6 months 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 6 months 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 6 months 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 6 months 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 6 months 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 6 months 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 6 months 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.