Dr. Carlotta Ronda, Principal Investigator at the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI) at the University of California, Berkeley, studies how gene-editing tools like CRISPR can be used to better understand and engineer the human microbiome.

When scientists want to edit DNA, they need a set of molecular scissors. That’s where CRISPR comes in. This powerful technique can locate a specific spot in the genome, cut it, and insert new genetic code. Researchers are now exploring how this technology can be applied not just to human cells, but also to the microbiome, the vast community of beneficial bacteria that live in and on our bodies.

In this episode, Dr. Ronda explains how scientists are using CRISPR to study and potentially engineer the microbiome, opening new possibilities for understanding how these microbes influence our health and well-being.