MOSCOW, September 4 The Second International Congress CRISPR-2023 will take place on September 11-13 in Novosibirsk. More than 250 scientists from 11 countries will take part in it. This is the only scientific forum that will be dedicated to the use of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in Russia, which allows making changes to the genome of higher organisms, including humans, the organizers said.
The participants will discuss how genome editing can be used to study the mechanisms of socially significant diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases, as well as assess the existing opportunities for using these technologies to correct dangerous mutations in DNA.
As noted by the chairman of the organizing committee of the congress, professor Suren Zakian, truly revolutionary changes have taken place in the field of molecular and cellular biology over the past 20–30 years.
“
“For us, this was a challenge, we accepted it and organize this congress as a platform where leading scientists will discuss the scientific achievements of recent years,” the professor added.
According to him, the program of the event includes many reports by young scientists in various scientific fields related to genome editing.
Separate sections will be devoted to problems and solutions related to the use of artificial intelligence and bioinformatics in the processing of genomic data, the creation of new drugs and tissue engineering technologies as a promising area of prosthetics. Another topic is the use of genome editing in breeding new crop varieties.
One of the main organizers of the congress is the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the SB RAS. Its director, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexei Kochetov recalled that the institute is part of the world-class Kurchatov Genomic Center and is actively engaged in the development of genetic technologies for agriculture, medicine and the biotechnological industry.
“We employ many leading researchers in their fields , we have a powerful and unique scientific infrastructure,” he said.
In particular, according to him, one of the country's main centers for the creation and breeding of laboratory animals for pharmacological research operates on the basis of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
“It is only natural that issues related to the use of genome editing technology are actively considered here,” he concluded.
