The symposium will provide an overview of diverse application of genome editing ranging from gene discovery to editing for crop improvement as well as the discovery of novel nucleases for application as diagnostic tools. Speakers will also provide insights into the impact of regulations and societal acceptance on the capacity to harness the potential of genome editing. Pamela Ronald will discuss the use of CRISPR-CAS technology to precisely integrate a beta-carotene gene (precursor of vitamin A) cassette into safe harbors in the rice genome thereby avoiding undesirable side effects on yield or growth that may occur using random insertion by conventional GM technologies. Omar Abudayyeh will present the research in his lab about the discovery of novel genome editing tools such as the RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas13 and their applications for simple and inexpensive detection of human diseases and plant genes. In particular, he will present the so called SHERLOCK technology and its potential to detect viruses, bacteria – even genetic signatures associated with cancer – in virtually any location. Dirk Inze will present his research on editing corn to tackle multigenic traits such as yield and drought tolerance and accelerate the development of crops that maximize the mitigation of greenhouse gasses. He will also discuss the current status of public acceptance and government regulations of genome editing technologies in Europe. Catherine Feuillet, will present the perspective from a small seed company which combines genome editing and computational science to radically transform plant breeding, and develop more resilient seeds that require less natural resources and chemical inputs to feed a growing population while reducing the impact of agricultural production on the environment.
