About this talk
Spiderman and CRISPR-Taming Chemist Amit Choudhary both tell us that “with great power comes great responsibility”. In Amit’s case, he speaks of power and responsibility with CRISPR gene editing technology. Today, the gene editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 serves as a “genetic ‘find and replace’ function,” that allows one to search and cut a DNA sequence at its precise location. Yet, this powerful tool must be used with great responsibility, given that a misstep could have irreversible consequences. Amit has pioneered precision tools – small molecule inhibitors, activators, and shredders – to control Cas9 activity. Having successfully fine-tuned CRISPR activity with first generation technologies, Amit is eager to pave the way for everyone to benefit from this gene editing technology safely and responsibly.
Amit’s journey with precision control tools for CRISPR-Cas9 demonstrates that responsible use of technology allows us to build solutions that are both effective and finely tuned. Watch his TEDMED 2020 Talk “The power of CRISPR-Cas9 comes with great responsibility”, now on TEDMED.com.
About Amit Choudhary
See more
Amit Choudhary is a distinguished chemist, biophysicist, and professor celebrated for his groundbreaking work in genome editing. He’s a leading innovator in developing precise control tools for the CRISPR-Cas9 system, a revolutionary technology that allows scientists to modify genes with incredible accuracy. In 2011, Amit became a Junior Fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows. During this time, he conducted research on the chemical biology of beta cells, which are crucial for producing insulin. This work led him to establish his own lab, the Choudhary Laboratory, which focuses on creating new chemical technologies and studying unique organisms that can survive extreme conditions. His lab’s research aims to identify new ways of treating diseases that affect humans. Amit’s research has received widespread recognition, including prestigious honors such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Innovation Award and the NIH Director’s Transformative Research Award. He also received the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Sciences, an award that celebrates young immigrant scientists in the United States. Presently, Amit is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, an Associate Biologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and an Associate Member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, where he continues to make significant contributions to the fields of chemistry and medicine.
