KAIST develops medical tool to identify multiple viruses simultaneously

“Scientists at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), in collaboration with researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and the Gladstone Institutes, have developed a new technique that uses the gene-editing tool CRISPR to identify multiple pathogens at once, the institute said Friday. The technique, developed by KAIST professor Son Sung-min of the Department of Bio and Brain Engineering and an international team of researchers, relies on the reaction speed of an enzyme known as Cas13. By treating these variations as a “molecular barcode,” they can distinguish multiple viruses or bacteria in a single sample, potentially streamlining diagnostic testing for infectious diseases. Researchers found that the protein Cas13, which acts as a sensor for genetic material, displays a unique signature when it encounters a virus. Once the protein identifies its target, it triggers a chemical reaction that releases a fluorescent glow. The team discovered that the specific speed of this reaction changes depending on the pathogen involved, allowing scientists to us

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