conceptual period

Recipient: Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science (MPG)
Funding: GO-Bio initial conceptual phase 2nd round (01/10/2021 to 01/10/2022, EUR 100,000.00)

CRISPR genome editing technology has revolutionised research in the life sciences. The process can be used to induce a targeted DNA double-strand break in a desired gene sequence. The cellular repair mechanisms thus activated to eliminate the DNA break can be used to modify the gene sequence. A precise repair mechanism is based on repair using a DNA template carrying the desired genetic changes. However, this mechanism is usually very ineffective.

This inefficiency of precise genome editing is a central problem of CRISPR technology. Furthermore, it is unsatisfactory that novel CRISPR enzymes and fusion proteins for introducing DNA into target cells are currently only available as plasmids and not as significantly more efficient recombinant proteins.

The "CRISPR plug-and-play" project aims to develop solutions to provide end users with an easy-to-use "plug-and-play toolbox for highly efficient CRISPR genome modification". The desired high efficiencies are to be achieved by simply adding the required components to the genome editing experiment without the complex preparatory work currently required. In the conceptual phase of the project, in addition to concepts for proof of principle and utilisation, market analyses will also be conducted in preparation for a possible market launch.

The project thus contributes to strengthening the life sciences innovation landscape in Germany in line with the announcement.

feasibility stage

Recipient: Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science (MPG)
Funding: GO-Bio initial feasibility phase 2 (01/10/2022 to 30/09/2024, EUR 566,144.00)

With the innovative CRISPR technique (CRISPR = Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats), a targeted DNA break can be used to induce desired genetic changes in the DNA sequence using a cellular homologous repair mechanism (HDR mechanism). HDR repair involves a DNA template that corresponds to the sequence being cut. However, HDR repair is very inefficient and another dominant repair pathway usually takes place, which is much simpler but more error-prone.

The "CRISPR-Plug-and-Play2" project aims to develop an easy-to-use toolbox for generating genetic changes in a DNA sequence in a highly efficient manner. The toolbox relies on ready-to-use components eliminating the complex preparatory work previously required. The innovative and promising toolbox represents a simple, cost-effective and widely applicable system. Compared to conventional methods, it can achieve a significantly higher efficiency of HDR repair. The toolbox is applicable for research in academic laboratories, in genome editing service centres, but also for clinical applications and gene therapy.

This project focuses on experimentally providing the proof-of-principle of the toolbox components already tested in the conceptual phase. Additionally required expertise and networks will be created in preparation for a possible market launch.