Researchers at the Sandia National Laboratory are researching genetic sequencing tools and CRISPR technology that may aid scientists in combatting COVID-19. The laboratory’s long-term vision and efforts to genetically engineer antiviral countermeasures could help prevent future outbreaks as well as quell the current one.
CRISPR technologies allow researchers to alter the nucleic acids composing cells, enabling experts to focus on a particular DNA and RNA sequence and manipulate genes. The tech can also be used to control gene expression, which helps to combat viruses and help human bodies withstand infection. The Sandia National Laboratory team’s efforts were not initially ignited by COVID-19 as the group has been studying emerging infectious diseases for years using the technology, including the Ebola and Nipah viruses.
Read More: National Lab Scientists Work to Reprogram Genes to Fight COVID-19
