Crispr/cas9-edited C. elegans mutants for bio-compound screening
Innovative CRISPR/Cas9-edited C. elegans strains for bio-compound screening offer a live organism-based approach to monitor human hormone levels and stress responses, facilitating high-throughput screening and drug discovery.
Overview
East Carolina University presents an innovative approach utilizing CRISPR/Cas9-edited C. elegans mutants for bio-compound screening. This method leverages the genetic manipulability and short lifecycle of C. elegans to provide a live organism-based platform for monitoring human hormone levels (CRH and ACTH) and analyzing physiological stress endpoints. The approach is designed to facilitate high-throughput screening and drug discovery processes, offering a unique advantage in the study of bio-compound effects on development and stress response.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Utilizes CRISPR/Cas9 technology to edit C. elegans strains, enabling the expression of human biomarkers such as CRH, ACTH, and DHS-30.
- Capable of monitoring bio-compound effects on development, including lethality, developmental rate, lifespan, fertility, and tumorigenesis.
- Employs GFP-based stress markers for stress response analysis, including SKN-1 and DAF-16, homologs of human Nrf and FOXO, respectively.
- Incorporates biochemical techniques such as qRT-PCR and Western blot for detailed biomarker expression analysis.
- Plans for high-throughput automatic screening strategies to enhance screening efficiency.
Technology readiness level
The technology is currently at TRL 4, indicating that the concept has been validated in a laboratory setting. Future steps include further validation of bio-compound effects and the establishment of additional screening methods to advance the technology to higher readiness levels.
About East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a comprehensive public research university in eastern North Carolina, combining broad academic breadth with a strong public-service mission. Integration with a major regional health system and teaching hospital enables clinically grounded collaboration and faster translation. Coastal field sites provide Atlantic test beds, and shared core labs and prototyping spaces support scale-up and validation. The university engages industry through flexible contracting, sponsored research, and tailored workforce partnerships. Research is backed by competitive federal funding, including NIH, NSF, and DoD, with state and industry support, and a dedicated technology transfer office manages IP, licensing, and startup formation.
Inquire about this partnering listing
Industry applications
delivered to your inbox.