PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

AI meets CRISPR for precise gene editing

Groundwork for next-generation gene therapies

2025-08-12
(Press-News.org) A research team headed by the University of Zurich has developed a powerful new method to precisely edit DNA by combining cutting-edge genetic engineering with artificial intelligence. This technique opens the door to more accurate modeling of human diseases and lays the groundwork for next-generation gene therapies.

Precise and targeted DNA editing by small point mutations as well as the integration of whole genes via CRISPR/Cas technology has great potential for applications in biotechnology and gene therapy. However, it is very important that the so-called “gene scissors” do not cause any unintended genetic changes, but maintain genomic integrity to avoid unintended side effects. Normally, double-stranded breaks in the DNA molecule are accurately repaired in humans and other organisms. But occasionally, this DNA end joining repair results in genetic errors.

Gene editing with greatly improved precision

Now, scientists from the University of Zurich (UZH), Ghent University in Belgium and the ETH Zurich have developed a new method which greatly improves the precision of genome editing. Using artificial intelligence (AI), the tool called “Pythia” predicts how cells repair their DNA after it is cut by gene editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9. “Our team developed tiny DNA repair templates, which act like molecular glue and guide the cell to make precise genetic changes”, says lead author Thomas Naert, who pioneered the technology in at the UZH and is currently a post-doc at Gent University.

These AI-designed templates were first tested in human cell cultures, where they enabled highly accurate gene edits and integrations. The approach was also validated in other organisms, including Xenopus, a small tropical frog used in biomedical research, and in living mice, where the researchers successfully edited DNA in brain cells.

AI can learn and predict DNA repair patterns

“DNA repair follows patterns; it is not random. And Pythia uses these patterns to our advantage,” says Naert. Traditionally, when CRISPR cuts DNA, scientists rely on the cell’s natural repair mechanisms to fix the break. While these repairs follow predictable patterns, they can result in unwanted outcomes, such as destruction of the surrounding genes. “What we modeled at massive scale is that this DNA repair process obeys consistent rules that AI can learn and predict,” says Naert. With this insight, the researchers simulated millions of possible editing outcomes using machine learning, asking a simple but powerful question: What is the most efficient way to make a specific small change to the genome, given how the cell is likely to repair itself?

In addition to changing individual letters of the genetic code or integrate an exogenously delivered gene, the method can also be used to fluorescently label specific proteins. “That is incredibly powerful,” says Naert, “because it allows us to directly observe what individual proteins are doing in healthy and diseased tissue.” Another advantage of the new method is that it works well in all cells – even in organs with no cell division, such as the brain.

Basis for developing precise gene therapies

Pythia is named after the high priestess of the oracle at the Temple of Apollo of Delphi in Antiquity, who was consulted to predict the future. In a similar way, this new tool allows scientists to forecast the outcomes of gene editing with remarkable precision. “Just as meteorologists use AI to predict the weather, we are using it to forecast how cells will respond to genetic interventions. That kind of predictive power is essential if we want gene editing to be safe, reliable, and clinically useful,” says Soeren Lienkamp, professor at the Institute of Anatomy of UZH and the ETH Zurich and senior author of the study.

“What excites us most is not only the technology itself, but also the possibilities it opens. Pythia brings together large-scale AI prediction with real biological systems. From cultured cells to whole animals, this tight loop between modeling and experimentation points is becoming increasingly useful, for example in precise gene therapies”, Lienkamp adds. This work creates new possibilities for understanding genetic disease and developing gene therapies, also for neurological diseases, that are both safer and more effective.

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New method to synthesize carbohydrates could pave the way to biomedical advances

2025-08-12
New method to synthesize carbohydrates could pave the way to biomedical advances (Santa Barbara, Calif.) — Carbohydrate is a familiar term. It’s the bagel you had for breakfast, the bread in your sandwich, the slice of cake you’re thinking about sneaking later today. But carbs aren’t only in baked goods, and they’re not just found in foods. Small yet structurally complex carbohydrates serve as elements of cell walls and are important in intercellular interactions. Scientists can quickly and reliably make many biomolecules, from DNA to proteins, using automated instruments. So it may come as a surprise that for decades, scientists have had major difficulty ...

Plants feed through one-way routes

2025-08-12
Plants transport water and nutrients from their environment through specialised pores. Researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have shed light on a little-known but essential mechanism for proper plant function: the directionality of nutrient transport in roots. The team demonstrates that this transport becomes unidirectional as the root develops. This discovery highlights the central role of the pores connecting plant cells and opens up new perspectives for improving plant resistance to water stress. These findings are published in the journal Molecular Plant. Roots play ...

3D-printed kidney tumors show potential for more targeted treatment

2025-08-12
Scientists at Tsinghua University have developed a method to grow kidney tumours in the lab using cells from real patients, offering a potential new tool in the fight against renal cancer. Their research, published in the journal Biofabrication, outlines how 3D bioprinting technology can be used to replicate the unique characteristics of each patient’s tumour. The team combined tumour cells with other cell types, including blood vessel-like structures, to mimic the environment within the body. The lab-grown tumours, called organoids, are created from real patients’ tumour cells, and exactly mimic their traits. ...

Cats with dementia share hallmarks of humans with Alzheimer’s

2025-08-12
Cats with dementia have brain changes similar to those of people with Alzheimer’s disease, offering a valuable model for studying the condition in humans, a study says. Scientists discovered a build-up of the toxic protein amyloid-beta in the brains of cats with the condition – one of the defining features of Alzheimer’s disease. The findings offer a clearer picture of how amyloid-beta may lead to age-related brain dysfunction and memory loss in cats, experts say. Many older cats develop dementia, leading to behavioural changes such as increased vocalisation – or meowing – confusion and disrupted sleep ...

AI could soon detect early voice box cancer from the sound of your voice

2025-08-12
Cancer of the voice box or larynx is an important public health burden. In 2021, there were an estimated 1.1 million cases of laryngeal cancer worldwide, and approximately 100,000 people died from it. Risk factors include smoking, alcohol abuse, and infection with human papillomavirus. The prognosis for laryngeal cancer ranges from 35% to 78% survival over five years when treated, depending on the tumor’s stage and its location within the voice box. Catching cancer early is key for a patient’s prospects. At present, laryngeal cancers are diagnosed through video nasal endoscopy and biopsies ...

New survey reveals top reasons why kids avoid going to school

2025-08-12
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Parents and caregivers often hear a child say, “I don’t want to go to school.” But when this becomes a regular occurrence, it may be a sign of school avoidance, also known as school refusal- which may be a sign of emotional distress.   A new national survey conducted by Ipsos on behalf of The Kids Mental Health Foundation, founded by Nationwide Children’s Hospital, reveals nearly a third of parents (30%) whose child missed school due to fear or anxiety last year report their child missed more than a week of school.  The national survey of more than 1,000 parents across the United States also reveals roughly ...

Playtime a mostly mutual activity between dolphins and whales

2025-08-12
A new study has investigated hundreds of videos and images taken by the public, tourism operators and scientists to better understand a rarely studied behaviour among whales and dolphins – do they actually “play” together, or is it more of a one-sided relationship? Led by Griffith University’s Whales & Climate Program lead, Dr Olaf Meynecke, the study analysed instances of baleen whale and dolphin interactions involving 19 species in 199 separate and unrelated interactions, documented by photographs and videos from 17 locations around the world. Published in Discover Animals, Dr Meynecke ...

Brain cells learn faster than machine learning, new research reveals

2025-08-12
Melbourne, Australia - 12 August 2025 - Researchers have demonstrated that brain cells learn faster and carry out complex networking more effectively than machine learning by comparing how both a Synthetic Biological Intelligence (SBI) system known as ‘DishBrain’ and state-of-the-art RL (reinforcement learning) algorithms react to certain stimuli. The study, ‘Dynamic Network Plasticity and Sample Efficiency in Biological Neural Cultures: A Comparative Study with Deep Reinforcement Learning’, is the first known of its kind. The research was led by Cortical Labs, the Melbourne-based startup which created the world’s first commercial biological ...

Mixed-dimensional nanowires/nanosheet heterojunction of GaSb/Bi2O2Se for self-powered near-infrared photodetection and photocommunication

2025-08-12
In the rapidly advancing field of optoelectronics, self-powered near-infrared (NIR) photodetectors are gaining attention for applications in imaging, environmental monitoring, and optical communication. Recently, a research team from Shandong University led by Professor Zai-xing Yang has made a significant leap forward by constructing a novel mixed-dimensional heterojunction between GaSb nanowires (NWs) and Bi2O2Se nanosheets (NSs). This breakthrough device demonstrates ultralow dark current, ultrafast response, and multifunctional capabilities — all without an external power supply. Why This Research Matters Record-Low Dark Current: The GaSb/Bi2O₂Se NW/NS ...

Universities that eliminated admission test requirements saw gains in student body diversity

2025-08-12
  Universities that have eliminated standardized test requirements for admissions in recent years generally experienced gains in diversity in their student bodies, according to research by the University of California, Davis. However, if the universities also faced recent financial shortfalls or enrollment declines, or continued to prioritize quantitative academic criteria such as test scores and class rank, these gains in diversity diminished or disappeared. The paper, “Same Policy, No Standardized Outcome: How Admissions Values and Institutional Priorities ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Drones reveal unexpectedly high emissions from wastewater treatment plants

Dancing alleviated perceived symptoms of depression and helped to understand its root causes

Tricky treats: Why pumpkins accumulate pollutants

Revealing the molecular structures of sugars using galectin-10 protein crystals

World’s leading medical journal details the climate emergency

GLP-1 drugs effective for weight loss, but more independent studies needed

Researchers uncover previously unexplored details of mosquito’s specialized detection mechanisms

Stem cell therapy linked to lower risk of heart failure after a heart attack

The NHS is reaching a crisis point in consultant recruitment, new report warns

UNM research suggests Halloween fireballs could signal increased risk of cosmic impact or airburst in 2032 and 2036

Biochar’s hidden helper: Dissolved organic matter boosts lead removal from polluted water

Sunlight turns everyday fabrics into ocean microfibers, new study finds

Antibiotics linked to lower risk of complications after obstetric tear

Rapid blood pressure fluctuations linked to early signs of brain degeneration in older adults

How microbes control mammalian cell growth

Emergency department pilot program serves rural families

Amid renewable-energy boom, study explores options for electricity market

Study finds improvement in knee pain with exercise and physical therapy

Researchers uncover key mechanism behind chemotherapy-induced nerve damage

Mayo Clinic researchers find enhancing the body’s ‘first responder’ cells may boost immune therapy for cancer

Secret to a long life? In bowhead whales, a protein repairs damaged DNA

MIT study: Identifying kids who need help learning to read isn’t as easy as A, B, C

Plant biomass substance helps combat weeds

Veterans with epilepsy after traumatic brain injury may have higher mortality rates

Who is more likely to lose vision due to high brain pressure?

Scripps Research professor awarded $3.2 million to advance type 1 diabetes research

Anna Wuttig wins Bayer Foundation Early Excellence in Science Award

Electric vehicles outperform gasoline cars in lifetime environmental impact

Kilimanjaro has lost 75 percent of its natural plant species over the last century

Spider web “decorations” may help pinpoint location of captured prey

[Press-News.org] AI meets CRISPR for precise gene editing
Groundwork for next-generation gene therapies