Cape High Science Students Conduct Gene Editing Experiment with ChristianaCare’s Gene Editing Institute

Cape Henlopen High School biology students had a unique experience on Thursday, May 15, when a team from the ChristianaCare Gene Editing Institute spent the first half of the day in their classroom, conducting the CRISPR in a Box™ educational experiment.

CRISPR (pronounced “crisper”) stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats and is a powerful genetic engineering tool that allows scientists to edit DNA with high precision. Ultimately, CRISPR works like molecular scissors to cut DNA in a specific spot. It’s then used to add, remove or change pieces of genetic material in living organisms. CRISPR in a Box™ is an educational kit used to teach students how gene editing works. They’re able to get a hands-on experience by performing a simplified version of a real CRISPR experiment, using non-pathogenic bacteria and lab-grade materials. It gives them the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of CRISPR gene editing, as well as basic lab techniques that will help them as they enter labs in a collegiate setting. The experience follows the same techniques used in research labs, allowing the students to mirror the work that scientists do each day.

“We are the first school in Sussex County to participate in this educational experience,” said Rachael Smith, Cape High biology teacher. “The first-hand knowledge our students have received by participating in this experiment will be something they are able to take with them as them move on to take college level science courses.”

Many of the students participating in the experiment have goals of attending college and majoring in a science related field. “I was really excited to participate in this experiment,” said Alexandra Tigue, who is planning to major in the Prepharmacy track to Doctor of Pharmacy at either Purdue University College of Pharmacy, or at the University of Delaware with their Thomas Jefferson partnership. “Working with the CRISPR in a Box™ made gene editing feel real and accessible, and the techniques the ChristianaCare team covered with us are ones I know will be beneficial to me in college.”

“We believe CRISPR in a Box™ is an excellent way to inspire the next generation of scientists,” said Mak Sisson, Science Communications Specialist for ChristianaCare’s Gene Editing Institute. “It is a tool that gives students the opportunity to turn complex genetic engineering concepts into something tangible and approachable.”

CRISPR is revolutionizing biology and medicine and has applications in treating genetic diseases like sickle cell anemia or cystic fibrosis, improving crops by making them more resistant to disease or drought, and in the study of genes. It is considered one of the most significant scientific breakthroughs of the 21^st century.

“Watching my students actively engage with real gene-editing techniques was incredible,” concluded Smith. “It sparked their curiosity, honed their critical thinking skills, and created genuine excitement about science.”