CRISPR not a panacea, yet

Gene editing with CRISPR may eradicate diseases; could also lead to mutations with dangerous result

Techniques based on CRISPR CAS-9 gene editing are to be done with unprecedented precision. CRISPR, or Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, are naturally occurring repetitive sequences of genetic code, which are part of the immune system.  

When an alien bacteria or virus invades the body, CRISPR is “programmed” to recognise the alien material. It then uses CAS-9 — an enzyme produced by the CRISPR system — to bond with the alien DNA and excise it. It does this cutting in a precise fashion. New DNA can be inserted to replace the excised material. If no new DNA is