JNCASR, CrisprBits to Set Up Centre of Excellence for CRISPR Innovation in Bengaluru

The collaboration between one of India's premier research institutions and a leading gene editing technology company marks a major milestone for the Indian gene, editing and biotechnology ecosystem. The new CoE intends to rapidly move breakthrough CRISPR innovations from labs to clinics and society at large. The collaboration combines JNCASR's extensive, heritage research in basic and translational biomedical research with CrisprBit's expertise in advanced gene editing technologies and translational platforms. The program at JNCASR is a pioneering effort, to the best of their knowledge, which aims to bridge the gap that has existed for a long time between fundamental scientific discoveries and their therapeutic applications. "Through the establishment of a specialized center for CRISPR innovation, this partnership aims to accelerate the path from scientific understanding to solutions that can be scaled up and have clinical relevance, " the institute said in a statement.

The CoE-CIT will be established as a campus-based facility at JNCASR and will integrate expertise across genetics, molecular biology, chemical biology, and computational biology. At its core, the organization is committed to driving translational research, diminishing the risk that surrounds early, stage discoveries, and making sure that innovations align with the ethical, regulatory, and clinical standards that are required for the responsible use of gene editing technologies. In addition, the centre, which was primarily funded through the MRFF's Genomic Health Futures Mission grant, is expected to become a collaborative model of the academic sector and industry dialogue across the country. By showing how publicly funded research institutions can successfully collaborate with private technology companies, the project intends to reinforce India's biotechnology innovation pipeline and, thus, become instrumental in achieving other national missions in health, science, and technology. CrisprBits, whose main objective is to develop molecular platforms for health science applications, is highly likely to be instrumental in the centre's technology development at the local level and their smooth transition into products and therapies with commercial viability.