News & Stories

A research team led by Prof. HSING I-Ming, Professor of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE) at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), in collaboration with Prof. ZHAI Yuanliang, Associate Professor of the Division of Life Science (LIFS), has successfully developed the world's first DNA-guided CRISPR-Cas system capable of programmable RNA targeting and cleavage.This breakthrough overturns the conventional CRISPR paradigm, which uses RNA as a guide to target DNA. The new system holds tremendous potential for clinical applications, opening new avenues for RNA-targeted therapies and diagnostics, including improved accuracy in rapid infectious disease testing and the advancement of antiviral treatments. The findings have been published in the international prestigious journal Nature Biotechnology.