CRISPR-Guided Surgery

CRISPR surgery is one of the most exciting advances in medicine today. It uses a tool called CRISPR-Cas9, often described as molecular scissors. It is guided by a piece of RNA that directs the Cas9 enzyme to the right spot in a patient’s DNA. It then makes a cut at the exact location. The cell repairs this cut either by shutting down the gene or by replacing it with a corrected version.

Furthermore, CRISPR surgery is becoming more powerful with new technology. It now uses artificial intelligence and multi-omics to study a patient’s genetic and cellular data. This allows surgeons to plan edits in real time and adjust them to each patient, which makes treatments more precise than ever before.

In addition, CRISPR surgery is already showing strong results. It is treating inherited blood disorders such as sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia, with new approvals marking progress. It is also being used in cancer treatment, where immune cells are edited to better recognize and attack tumors. It is being explored in neurosurgery as well, with scientists using live monitoring of genes to address complex brain diseases. A real-life example is in 2025, when doctors treated an infant named KJ with a personalized CRISPR therapy for a rare metabolic disorder. Within months, his symptoms improved, his dependence on drugs decreased, and he reached developmental milestones that once seemed impossible. His case showed how CRISPR can bring hope to patients with conditions once thought incurable.

However, CRISPR surgery still faces challenges. It sometimes cuts in the wrong place, which can cause side effects. It may also trigger the body’s immune system, creating safety concerns. It raises ethical questions too, especially about editing embryos or germline cells. CRISPR surgery will need clear rules and strict guidelines as it develops.

Even so, CRISPR surgery has a very promising future. With advances in AI and monitoring tools, it is becoming safer and more accurate. 

In conclusion, CRISPR surgery is still new but already shows great potential. It combines biology, technology, and medicine to bring hope for diseases once thought untreatable.

Written by Anonymous at Incisionary

References

Broad Institute. (n.d.). Questions and answers about CRISPR. Broad Institute; Broad Institute. https://www.broadinstitute.org/what-broad/areas-focus/project-spotlight/questions-and-answers-about-crispr

Wu, W.-H., Tsai, Y.-T., Huang, I.-W., Cheng, C.-H., Hsu, C.-W., Cui, X., Ryu, J., Quinn, P. M. J., Caruso, S. M., Lin, C.-S., & Tsang, S. H. (2022). CRISPR genome surgery in a novel humanized model for autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. Molecular Therapy, 30(4), 1407–1420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.02.010

Liao, H., Wu, J., VanDusen, N. J., Li, Y., & Zheng, Y. (2024). CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Homology-Directed Repair for Precise Gene Editing. Molecular Therapy — Nucleic Acids, 35(4), 102344–102344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102344

Wilson, R. (2022). CRISPR Technology. Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI). https://innovativegenomics.org/crisprpedia/crispr-technology/

Tsai, Y.-T., Wu, W.-H., Lee, T.-T., Wu, W.-P., Xu, C. L., Park, K. S., Cui, X., Justus, S., Lin, C.-S., Jauregui, R., Su, P.-Y., & Tsang, S. H. (2018). CRISPR-based genome surgery for the treatment of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. Ophthalmology, 125(9), 1421–1430. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2018.04.001