A powerful new scientific tool for genetic engineering has emerged in the form of a genetic element known as CRISPR, which stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, and its associated “Cas” family of enzymes. Through the combination of CRISPR and Cas, geneticists are able to precisely edit the instructions contained in a targeted genome and/or regulate the expression of the genes that are produced. Jennifer Doudna, a biochemist with Berkeley Lab’s Physical Biosciences Division, has been a pioneer in CRISPR research. She was recently interviewed on National Public Radio by Joe Palca for a segment on All Things Considered. In the interview, Doudna discusses how CRISPR works and the many beneficial ways in which it could be used. Listen to the interview here

For the latest on CRISPR and Cas research at Berkeley Lab go here