As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people became familiar with rapid diagnostic testing. Unlike the rapid tests for COVID-19, which detect certain proteins in the virus, CRISPR recognizes specific nucleotide sequences at the DNA or RNA level, which [Ryan T. Wagner, Ph.D., a researcher of epigenetic etiology of human disease at Mayo Clinic.] says allows for greater sensitivity.
“We’ve become so accustomed to testing at home in the past four years, so I think people will start to expect that more and more and be more comfortable with it,” he says.
CRISPR diagnostic tests are being developed to identify primarily bacterial infections, especially in the agricultural space with livestock. Dr. Wagner believes these tests will quickly move into a more clinical space, and soon become relatively commonplace.
Individuals could conduct these at-home tests to give their healthcare professionals more information — ideally allowing a healthcare team to quickly detect certain conditions and provide better treatment. Dr. Wagner adds that providing this data from home could save people and medical professionals money, providing healthcare professionals with greater insight before a patient even steps into their office.
Related on the SLP
…
Dr. Wagner predicts that in the next 10 years, there will be a rise in therapeutic applications for CRISPR, including in CAR-T therapy and cancer treatment, and that these could be available even outside of clinical trials.
