CRISPR-Chip Can Detect Genetic Mutations Within Minutes

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and the Keck Graduate Institute of The Claremont Colleges have developed a hand-held device that can detect genetic mutations, such as those causing genetic diseases or affecting how people respond to certain drugs, in just minutes. The device employs a combination of CRISPR and graphene transistors to achieve this. The researchers hope that it could make the process of diagnosing genetic conditions and predicting drug responses easier and more accessible, potentially leading to point-of-care DNA analysis. The researchers have called their device the “CRISPR-Chip” and, unlike traditional DNA analysis techniques, the device does not require a lengthy polymerase chain reaction DNA replication step, saving time. Instead, it uses nanoelectronics to analyze the relatively small amounts of target DNA present in a patient DNA sample.