Detecting Viruses with CRISPR

CRISPR has revolutionized the biosciences over the past decade. The RNA-targeting CRISPR effector protein Cas13, discovered in 2016, opened up a myriad of new applications for CRISPR-based technologies. As a postdoc, I developed Cas13-based technologies for detecting and destroying viral RNA. My talk will discuss both technologies for point-of-care nucleic acid detection (HUDSON, SHINE), and technologies for massively multiplexed nucleic acid detection (CARMEN). During the COVID-19 pandemic, these technologies have rapidly moved from the lab into the clinic. Finally, I will discuss our efforts to use Cas13 as a programmable antiviral therapy for a diverse set of RNA viruses. My lab at Princeton, started in January 2021, is building on this work as we continue to develop new Cas13-based technologies for studying both viral and host RNAs.