Latest news with #CRISPR-Cas9
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Daily subject-wise quiz : Science and Technology MCQs on the role of trees near a volcano in an eruption, CRISPR and more (Week 112)
UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Attempt today's subject quiz on Science and Technology to check your progress. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at With reference to the CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats), consider the following statements: 1. It is an immune system found in microbes such as bacteria which fights invading viruses. 2. When a virus infects a bacterial cell, CRISPR helps to establish a memory in the form of antibodies, like in humans. 3. Base editing is a new version of the CRISPR-Cas9 technology. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Explanation — A nine-month-old child born with a rare genetic disease has become the first (known) person to successfully get personalised gene-editing treatment, according to a paper published on May 15 in the New England Journal of Medicine. — To treat him, scientists and doctors from the University of Pennsylvania and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia developed a personalised treatment based on 'base editing', a new version of the decade-old CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Hence, statement 3 is correct. — Scientists believe this method has the potential to treat thousands of unusual genetic illnesses. However, there are significant obstacles to its widespread acceptance. What is CRISPR? — After being infected with a virus, individuals develop an 'immune memory' in the form of antibodies. When they are infected with the same virus again, these antibodies readily recognise and neutralise the pathogens. — CRISPR, an immunological mechanism found in microbes such as bacteria that fights invading viruses, stands for 'clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats'. When a virus infects a bacterial cell, CRISPR contributes to the establishment of a memory — but one that is genetic rather than in the form of antibodies, as in humans. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is not correct. — When a virus infects a bacterial cell, the bacterium removes a portion of the virus's genome and inserts it into its own genome. CRISPR then creates a new 'guide' RNA using the freshly acquired DNA. — During a subsequent attack by the same virus, the guide RNA immediately detects and attaches to virus DNA. The guide RNA then instructs an enzyme (a type of protein) called Cas9 to serve as 'molecular scissors' to cut and remove the virus DNA. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer. With reference to the Tianwen-2 mission, consider the following statements: 1. This mission will be launched by Japan, being its first mission to survey and sample a near-Earth asteroid. 2. It will investigate an asteroid called 469219 Kamo'oalewa, which orbits the Sun at a distance relatively close to Earth. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Explanation — China will launch its first mission to survey and sample a near-Earth asteroid this week. Known as the Tianwen-2 mission, the probe will investigate an asteroid called 469219 Kamo'oalewa, which orbits the Sun at a distance relatively close to Earth. Hence, statement 1 is not correct and statement 2 is correct. — If the mission is successful, China will join a small group of countries, including the United States and Japan, that have successfully sampled and returned asteroids to Earth. — Kamo'oalewa was found in 2016 by the Pan-STARRS 1 asteroid survey telescope on Haleakalā, Hawaii. It is one of only seven asteroids classified as quasi-satellites of Earth, which are satellites that circle the Sun but are gravitationally impacted by the planet due to their proximity. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer. Consider the following statements: Statement 1: When the leaves from trees near a volcano turn greener, it is indicative of the fact that it is active and is about to erupt soon. Statement 2: Greener trees detect early signs of an active volcano by tracing the volcanic carbon dioxide (CO₂). Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements? (a) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is the correct explanation for Statement 1. (b) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is not the correct explanation for Statement 1. (c) Statement 1 is correct but Statement 2 is incorrect. (d) Statement 1 is incorrect but Statement 2 is correct. Explanation — NASA has created a new method of observing volcano patterns by tracking tree health using satellite photos. In collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution's AVUELO (Airborne Validation Unified Experiment: Land to Ocean), space agency experts say they can detect early signals of volcanic eruptions by analysing the changing colours of tree leaves. — The scientists discovered that when the leaves of trees surrounding a volcano turn greener, it indicates that the volcano is active and may erupt soon. Tracing the CO₂ consumption patterns of nearby trees can help detect early indicators of an active volcano. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct. — Research indicates that rising magma beneath Earth's surface emits CO₂ and SO₂ into the atmosphere. While detecting sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere is relatively simple, scientists suggest that traces of volcanically produced carbon dioxide are far more difficult to identify. CO₂ can be difficult to identify from other gases in the atmosphere. Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is the correct explanation for Statement 1. Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer. Rocket propulsion relies on: 1. Newton's first law of motion 2. Newton's third law of motion. 3. Archimedes' Principle Select the correct answer using the codes given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) 1 and 2 only (d) 2 and 3 only Explanation — Ballistic missiles are still used today, but they are far more complex. A ballistic missile is one that is only powered during the initial stages of its flight. After that, it follows a parabolic course, much like a pebble tossed into the air, but quicker and farther. — A typical intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) may reach altitudes of more than 1,000 kilometres and speeds of Mach 20 (20 times the speed of sound). Once launched, they are virtually impossible to intercept. But pure ballistic routes are predictable — which is both their strength and weakness. — Guided missiles are equipped with sensors (such as radar, infrared, or GPS) and control systems (gyroscopes, fins, and internal thrusters) that allow them to direct themselves while in flight. — Rocket propulsion follows Newton's Third Law, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The rocket moves ahead as it burns fuel and expels petrol from the back. The major problem isn't only travelling fast; it's also regulating flight at high speeds. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer. With reference to the planet Uranus, consider the following statements: 1. It is pale blue-green in colour because its atmosphere absorbs the red wavelengths of sunlight. 2. As per the study, Uranus' atmosphere is primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, along with small amounts of methane. 3. Uranus' axis of rotation is nearly parallel to its orbital plane. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) only two (c) All three (d) None Explanation — Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun, owes its pale blue-green colour to its atmosphere that absorbs the red wavelengths of sunlight, according to a new study. Hence, statement 1 is correct. — The Hubble photos of Uranus were obtained between 2002 and 2022. According to the study, Uranus' atmosphere is mostly made of hydrogen and helium, with trace amounts of methane, water, and ammonia. Hence, statement 2 is correct. — Uranus is situated between Saturn and Neptune. Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun, is one of the least studied planets in our solar system, which is why the latest research study could be significant. Scientists who wrote the paper also supplied additional information regarding seasonal changes on the planet. Unlike other planets, Uranus' axis of rotation is almost parallel to its orbital plane. Hence, statement 3 is correct. Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer. Sorry for the inconvenience caused. All remaining questions and answers are correctly marked. Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 112) Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 112) Daily subject-wise quiz — Science and Technology (Week 111) Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 111) Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 111) Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 111) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. 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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Medable Introduces Long-Term Follow-Up Model for Cell & Gene Therapy (CGT) Trials to Reduce Costs and Improve Patient Access
New digital-first solution enables patient engagement and retention while maintaining scientific rigor throughout 15-year CGT trials PALO ALTO, Calif., May 28, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Medable Inc., a leading technology platform provider for decentralized clinical trials, today unveiled its digital-first Long-Term Follow-Up (LTFU) model for cell and gene therapy (CGT) trials. Medable's platform reduces the burden on patients and sites involved in complex CGT trials and enhances scientific integrity with sustainable data capture across the FDA-required 15-year follow-up period for certain CGTs, including those using genome-editing techniques like CRISPR-Cas9. This extended monitoring period is essential for tracking delayed adverse events, understanding the durability of the therapy, and ensuring the long-term impact on patients – but can add significant hardships. CGTs offer transformative potential yet they also require prolonged safety monitoring, often spanning 15 years post-treatment. Traditional models for LTFU impose logistical and financial challenges on participants, contributing to lower participation and high attrition rates over time. According to a 2024 survey conducted by the Emily Whitehead Foundation and Catalyst Healthcare Consulting, 20% of CAR T-cell therapy patients stop participating in long-term follow-up altogether, with 80% of that group ceasing participation at or after five years post-treatment. Distance to sites, lack of awareness about local follow-up options, and burdensome travel are frequently cited as key barriers. "Long-term follow-up is essential to ensure the durability and safety of advanced therapies, but the current system isn't working for patients or sponsors," said Dr. Pamela Tenaerts, Chief Medical Officer at Medable. "With our new LTFU model, we're reimagining how post-treatment data is captured - putting patients at the center while ensuring scientific and regulatory rigor." Medable's digital-first LTFU offering includes: Remote and Hybrid Patient Interaction: Patients can engage in follow-up through flexible virtual, in-person, or blended formats that meet their individual needs and life circumstances. Seamless Transition from Parent Trials: Integrated workflows and data continuity ensure a frictionless handoff from interventional studies to long-term observational follow-up. Patient-First Data Capture and Adherence Monitoring: Leveraging mobile technology, patient reported questionnaires and local healthcare providers to track key endpoints and ensure consistent participation over time. Personalized Patient Communication: Ongoing engagement through tailored content, reminders, and support tools to build trust and maintain long-term connection. By embracing a digital, patient-centric approach, Medable's model addresses key gaps in traditional LTFU execution – improving retention, increasing diversity, and reducing the long-term cost burden for both sponsors and sites. Learn more about Medable's new digital-based LTFU model at American Society of Clinical Oncology's (ASCO) 2025 Annual Meeting (May 30-June 3) in Chicago at Medable Booth #10105. About Medable Medable is on a mission to get effective therapies to people faster. Its digital clinical trials platform enhances speed, scale, and patient access in clinical research, accelerating medicines for thousands of conditions without treatment or cure. Awarded Best Digital Health Solution by the Galien Foundation, Medable's platform has been deployed in nearly 400 trials in 70 countries and 120 languages, serving more than one million patients globally. Medable is a privately held, venture-backed company headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and was listed for the second year in a row on the Inc. 5000 in 2024. View source version on Contacts Media Contact: Lisa Barbadora, Barbadora INK for Medable+1 (610) 420-3413lbarbadora@ / media@
Business Wire
3 days ago
- Health
- Business Wire
Medable Introduces Long-Term Follow-Up Model for Cell & Gene Therapy (CGT) Trials to Reduce Costs and Improve Patient Access
PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Medable Inc., a leading technology platform provider for decentralized clinical trials, today unveiled its digital-first Long-Term Follow-Up (LTFU) model for cell and gene therapy (CGT) trials. Medable's platform reduces the burden on patients and sites involved in complex CGT trials and enhances scientific integrity with sustainable data capture across the FDA-required 15-year follow-up period for certain CGTs, including those using genome-editing techniques like CRISPR-Cas9. This extended monitoring period is essential for tracking delayed adverse events, understanding the durability of the therapy, and ensuring the long-term impact on patients – but can add significant hardships. By embracing a digital, patient-centric approach, Medable's model addresses key gaps in traditional LTFU execution. Share CGTs offer transformative potential yet they also require prolonged safety monitoring, often spanning 15 years post-treatment. Traditional models for LTFU impose logistical and financial challenges on participants, contributing to lower participation and high attrition rates over time. According to a 2024 survey conducted by the Emily Whitehead Foundation and Catalyst Healthcare Consulting, 20% of CAR T-cell therapy patients stop participating in long-term follow-up altogether, with 80% of that group ceasing participation at or after five years post-treatment. Distance to sites, lack of awareness about local follow-up options, and burdensome travel are frequently cited as key barriers. 'Long-term follow-up is essential to ensure the durability and safety of advanced therapies, but the current system isn't working for patients or sponsors,' said Dr. Pamela Tenaerts, Chief Medical Officer at Medable. 'With our new LTFU model, we're reimagining how post-treatment data is captured - putting patients at the center while ensuring scientific and regulatory rigor.' Medable's digital-first LTFU offering includes: Remote and Hybrid Patient Interaction: Patients can engage in follow-up through flexible virtual, in-person, or blended formats that meet their individual needs and life circumstances. Seamless Transition from Parent Trials: Integrated workflows and data continuity ensure a frictionless handoff from interventional studies to long-term observational follow-up. Patient-First Data Capture and Adherence Monitoring: Leveraging mobile technology, patient reported questionnaires and local healthcare providers to track key endpoints and ensure consistent participation over time. Personalized Patient Communication: Ongoing engagement through tailored content, reminders, and support tools to build trust and maintain long-term connection. By embracing a digital, patient-centric approach, Medable's model addresses key gaps in traditional LTFU execution – improving retention, increasing diversity, and reducing the long-term cost burden for both sponsors and sites. Medable Booth # 10105. About Medable Medable is on a mission to get effective therapies to people faster. Its digital clinical trials platform enhances speed, scale, and patient access in clinical research, accelerating medicines for thousands of conditions without treatment or cure. Awarded Best Digital Health Solution by the Galien Foundation, Medable's platform has been deployed in nearly 400 trials in 70 countries and 120 languages, serving more than one million patients globally. Medable is a privately held, venture-backed company headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and was listed for the second year in a row on the Inc. 5000 in 2024.
Mint
4 days ago
- Science
- Mint
India's first gene-edited sheep developed by Kashmir university researchers. All you need to know
Researchers at a Kashmir-based Agricultural university have produced India's first gene-edited sheep, marking a historic milestone in the field of animal biotechnology. The Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) has called it a "ground-breaking scientific achievement". The edited sheep contains no foreign DNA, distinguishing it from transgenic organisms and paving the way for regulatory approval under India's evolving biotech policy framework, news agency PTI said. The team of researchers led by Dean Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, SKUAST-Kashmir, Riaz Ahmad Shah achieved the feat after a research of around four years. Shah's team had previously cloned India's first Pashmina goat- 'Noori'- in 2012, a milestone that garnered global acclaim. "This path-breaking development places India on the global map of advanced genome editing technologies and positions SKUAST-Kashmir at the forefront of reproductive biotechnology research," Shah told PTI, adding, it marks a historic milestone in the field of animal biotechnology. The gene editing was performed using CRISPR-Cas9 technology and adhered to international biosafety protocols. Shah said the gene-edited lamb has been modified for the 'myostatin' gene - a regulator of muscle growth. 'By disrupting this gene, muscle mass in the animal is enhanced by nearly 30 per cent, a trait naturally absent in Indian sheep breeds but known in select European breeds like the Texel,' he said. For now this has been done at research level. 'The technique has multiple applications. We can edit the genes responsible for diseases to produce disease-resistant animals. It can also help in the twinning of animals at birth,' Shah told The Indian Express. Gene editing, also known as genome editing, is a group of technologies that allow scientists to precisely change an organism's DNA. These technologies enable the addition, removal, or alteration of genetic material at specific locations within the genome. The development comes on the heels of the recent release of India's first gene-edited rice variety, endorsed by Union Ministry for Agriculture, and further cements India's growing prowess in genomic science, Shah said. "The introduction of this mutation through gene editing, and not through traditional crossbreeding, represents a technological leap akin to the revolution Artificial Intelligence is driving in the 21st century," he said. SKUAST-Kashmir vice-chancellor Nazir Ahmad Ganai described the achievement as the birth of a new era in livestock genetics in the country. "This is not just the birth of a lamb, but the birth of a new era in livestock genetics in India. With gene editing, we have the ability to bring precise, beneficial changes without introducing foreign DNA, making the process efficient, safe, and potentially acceptable to both regulators and consumers," he said. Through gene editing, the researchers targeted a gene in a sheep variety that helps in boosting its muscle weight and gives heavier, almost 30 per cent more weight than normal sheep. This is not just the birth of a lamb, but the birth of a new era in livestock genetics in India.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
World's First CRISPR-Edited Spiders Shoot Fluoro Red Silk From Their Butt
Beginning a chain of events that will presumably lead to the origin of our universe's Spider-Man, researchers in Germany have created the world's first spiders to be genetically modified using CRISPR technology. These spiders are unlikely to generate any superheroes (for now). They are not radioactive, and although their DNA has been altered, nothing has changed about their venom. They are still ordinary house spiders – mostly. As a result of researchers' genetic modifications, some of the spiders lack eyes, while others gained the novel ability to spin fluorescent red silk. If you're wondering how scientists did this, they used the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9, which lets researchers cut into a cell's genome at specific locations and remove or insert sequences. If you're wondering why they did this, it was largely a proof of concept. The researchers sensed an untapped potential – given the unique properties of spider silk, among other things – when they realized this gene-editing technology had not been applied to spiders. "Considering the wide range of possible applications, it is surprising that there have been no studies to date using CRISPR-Cas9 in spiders," says senior author Thomas Scheibel, a biochemist at the University of Bayreuth. Spiders are wonders of nature. They've achieved impressive evolutionary success, having existed for some 400 million years and diversified into more than 50,000 known species. They rank seventh in total species diversity among all orders of organisms. Their silk is of particular interest. There are at least seven types among varieties of orb weaver alone, each with distinct attributes and uses by spiders. Some spider silks boast tensile strength comparable to steel, for example, but with peerless strength-to-weight ratios, not to mention elasticity and flexibility. Humans have long sought to harness the magic of spider silk, but to little avail. Most spiders are territorial predators intolerant of company, preventing us from farming them like silkworms. While synthetic spider silks are rapidly improving – now reportedly rivaling the original – there might still be unique value in learning to edit the genes for spider silk in vivo, the researchers contend. Given the lack of precedent for gene editing with spiders, Scheibel and his colleagues started with a simpler goal of removing (or 'knocking out') a gene. Hoping for clear results, they picked sine oculis, a gene involved with eye development. The researchers then designed a version of the gene-editing system to fit their task, which was injected into the abdomens of anesthetized female spiders of the common house spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum). This CRISPR components acted upon the spider's egg cells, which when combined later with male DNA, gave rise to eye-less spiderlings. Having established a process for genetic modification in house spiders, the next step was to tinker with silk genes. The researchers picked a gene for production of spidroins – the main proteins in spider silk – found in the strongest type of spider silk. As in the previous experiment, they injected a targeted solution into female spiders, this time with a gene sequence for a red fluorescent protein. Some spiderlings later spun red fluorescent dragline silk, providing evidence of a successful "knock-in" of the gene sequence into a silk protein. "We have demonstrated, for the first time worldwide, that CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to incorporate a desired sequence into spider silk proteins, thereby enabling the functionalization of these silk fibres," Scheibel says. "The ability to apply CRISPR gene-editing to spider silk is very promising for materials science research – for example, it could be used to further increase the already high tensile strength of spider silk." The study was published in Angewandte Chemie. Who Gets Your 'Digital Remains' When You Die? Here's Some Expert Advice. Rubik's Cube Record Smashed in Less Time Than It Takes to Blink This Laser Breakthrough Can Read Text on a Page From a Mile Away
