CRISPR Gene Editing in Stem Cells

Foreword

Since their discovery, CRISPR-based systems have fundamentally transformed our ability to manipulate

genomes. When combined with stem cells, these gene-editing tools also have the power to reshape

our understanding of human genetics, developmental biology, and regenerative medicine. The reviews

and research in this edition of

Cell Press Selections

, on gene editing in stem cells, offer a snapshot of

the latest advances in this rapidly evolving field.

As CRISPR/Cas9 systems, next-generation genome sequencing, and stem cell technologies have

matured, so too have the possibilities for their combined use. CRISPR-based platforms have already

been successfully applied in stem cells to address basic questions about human biology and produce

experimental tools for disease modeling and drug discovery. Looking forward, it seems inevitable that

applications of CRISPR technologies will continue to expand their reach, with the first CRISPR-based

stem cell therapies already entering clinical testing. The articles compiled in this reprint collection

showcase the current progress in these areas, from new CRISPR-based stem cell platforms for

disease modeling and therapeutic development to alternative approaches for using CRISPR as a cell

biology tool.

These articles represent only a small portion of the exciting research Cell Press has published and will

publish on gene editing in stem cells, and we hope you’ll visit

on a regular basis to keep

up with the latest stem cell and genome-editing news.

Finally, we are grateful for the support of OriGene, who helped to make the publication of this collection

possible.

Sheila Chari

Senior Scientific Editor,

Cell Stem Cell

For more information about

Cell Press Selections:

Jonathan Christison

Program Director

617-397-2893