CRISPR & Genetics
Learn about different aspects of CRISPR and other seminal discoveries in genetics.
Good Chemistry
Jennifer Doudna & Emmanuelle Charpentier's historic Nobel Prize for CRISPR
Charpentier and Doudna transformed science with their groundbreaking research on CRISPR. This film highlights their collaboration, the innovative experiments, and the inspiring process of scientific discovery.
Human Nature
The story of CRISPR — the most important scientific discovery of the 21st century.
The scientific revolution called CRISPR gives humans the power to edit DNA, including our own. The implications are profound and infinite. Scientists are already curing diseases like sickle cell anemia. But how far should we go to change the fundamental nature of who we are as people?
The Most Beautiful Experiment
Matt Meselson and Frank Stahl share the story of their groundbreaking experiment
Matt Meselson and Frank Stahl share how they devised the groundbreaking experiment that proved semiconservative DNA replication, what it was like to see the results for the first time, and how it felt to be at the forefront of molecular biology research in the 1950s.
The CRISPR Apostle
Rodolphe Barrangou tells the story of his discovery that laid the groundwork for the gene editing revolution
The discovery that CRISPR functions as an immune system to protect bacteria against viral infection was made at Danisco, a company looking to improve yogurt production. Rodolphe Barrangou tells the story of his discovery, which laid the groundwork for the gene editing revolution.
Tinkering with Nature’s Tools
Feng Zhang shares why CRISPR-Cas9 was such a groundbreaking tool.
What makes CRISPR-Cas9 such a groundbreaking genome editing tool? Hear from CRISPR-Cas9 pioneer Feng Zhang, Ph.D., who shares not only what makes the tool so unique but also his personal journey into science.
Homology-Directed Repair
How the cell edits DNA after a CRISPR-induced break
How can DNA repair itself after it’s broken? Learn about the homology-directed repair mechanism in this animated clip taken from the CRISPR-Cas9 documentary, Human Nature.
Corals: On the Brink
Can we save coral reefs from extinction?
Climate change is the biggest threat to coral reefs. Can we use modern genetic tools as one method to help us understand coral biology and perhaps make corals more adaptive to climate change?
Century of Biology
CRISPR ethics and how it will impact our future
In The Century of Biology, noted bioethicist R. Alta Charo ponders the ever-shifting interrelationship between humans and nature. The power of CRISPR and genome editing fundamentally reshapes the realm of the possible, as humans can manipulate life with precision on the molecular level. What we will do with this power is a question that far exceeds the limits of biology and touches on what kind of future we hope for, or fear.
The Future of Forests
Will they survive the threats of climate change?
We introduce the essential services forests provide to humans and the planet, and the many ways in which climate change is threatening the health and productivity of our forests. The researchers in the film present a few solutions that stakeholders are considering to make forests more resilient to these threats, including the use of biotechnology.
Saving The American Chestnut
A case study in genetic engineering
We look to the story of the American Chestnut as an example of how scientists are trying to bring a once-abundant tree back from near extinction through genetic engineering. We also consider the budding genome-editing technology CRISPR Cas-9 as a more precise tool with great promise but also great uncertainty.
Gregor Mendel’s Famous Genetics Experiment
Shirley Tilghman tells the story of Mendel’s studies and how his data led to an understanding of how the information within genes is passed from generation to generation.
Gregor Mendel’s experiments with pea plants laid the foundation for our understanding of genetic inheritance. In this video, Shirley Tilghman tells the story of Mendel’s studies and how his data led to an understanding of how the information within genes is passed from generation to generation.
The SOS Response in Bacteria
Evelyn Witkin shares her journey to the discovery of the SOS DNA damage response in bacteria.
Evelyn Witkin provides a historical perspective on how working at Cold Spring Harbor (CSH) shaped her scientific career and led to the discovery of the SOS DNA damage response in bacteria.
