Gene Editing: A Short-course for African Science Professionals

About This Course

Some 10 years ago new gene editing technology emerged that enabled precise genome engineering across all domains of life and spurred multiple technological innovations in the life sciences.  Progress has been rapid and keeping up with this rapid change is challenging.

This classroom-based course is designed for established science professionals – lecturers, department heads, researchers, and others – who will benefit from deepening and broadening their knowledge and understanding of gene editing and its applications.

This course provides a solid genetic and biochemical foundation that will give participants sufficient understanding to explain gene editing technologies and how they can be used – for example, in the context of a seminar, lecture or other professional presentations.

The final day (day 4) of the course is a colloquium of African scientists and gene editing practitioners providing course participants an opportunity to hear how gene editing is being used, to exercise their new knowledge and to network with African gene editing leaders.

On day 5 there will be an optional activity following the course involving a trip to the Ifakara Health Institute in the historic town of Bagamoyo where genetic modification technologies including gene editing are being used in mosquitoes to study and develop gene drive systems as a possible malaria vector intervention.

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Learning Objectives and Content

The course will be comprised of short instructional lectures, active learning activities, formative assessments, reading scientific papers– all designed to promote learning. After completing this course participants will:

• Understand and be able to explain the biochemical and genetic mechanisms associated with the use of programmable DNA endonucleases such a CRISPR/Cas9.
• Understand and be able to explain the diversity of programmable DNA endonucleases and their key distinguishing features and uses.
• Understand and be able to explain how programmable DNA endonucleases in their various forms are being used as platforms for a variety of genomic technologies.
• Be able to describe and explain how specific applications of these technologies in the life sciences and medicine are being developed in Africa.
• Be competent in reading and understanding the material and methods sections of research publications making use of “genome editing technologies”.
• Be able to deliver a lecture on the basics of gene editing to colleagues, trainees and students.

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Who Should Apply

Early, middle and later science career professionals who will benefit from and apply the learnings offered in this course.

This course is not designed for students and trainees.

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Prerequisites

Undergraduate-level knowledge of biology, genetics and molecular biology.

This is a technical course on gene editing intended to build on participants existing foundation of basic biology.

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Course Outline

• Day 1: The Basics
  • Broken DNA – The engine driving ‘editing’
  • How to Break DNA – DNA Endonucleases
  • CRISPR/Cas9 – Structure and Function
  • CRISPR – Bacterial Anti-Virus-Immune System
• Day 2: Going Deeper
  • Practice Explaining Gene Editing
  • sgRNA Design Practical
  • Working with Models
  • Knock-out Mutations – Basic workflow
  • Knock-in Mutations – Basic workflow
• Day 3: Beyond Basics
  • Base Editing
  • Prime Editing
  • Non-editing Applications of Cas9
  • More Explaining Practice
• Day 4: Colloquium of African Gene Editing Practitioners
  • Presentations
  • Applying Learnings
• Day 5 (optional) Visit Ifakara Health Institute, Bagomoyo, Tanzania
  • Visit IHI’s transgenic mosquito facility working on gene drive
  • Learn about other activities at IHI
  • Tour historic Bagomoyo

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Scholarships

Applicants accepted into the course will have their participation supported by the GeneConvene Global Collaborative including travel from within Africa to and from the course including airport shuttle in Dar es Salaam, accommodations in Dar es Salaam, meals during the course.

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Field Trip

This is an optional visit to the Ifakara Health Institute in Bagamoyo, a leading health research organization in Africa, with a strong track record of developing, testing and validating innovations for health.  Gene editing technologies are being used to develop gene drive in human malaria mosquitoes. This trip will provide an opportunity to visit IHI and historic Bagamoyo.

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Organizing Institutions

Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam.

The GeneConvene Global Collaborative at the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (USA).

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Instructors

Daniel Maeda, Ph. D., Lecturer, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Dar Es Salaam, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Dr. Maeda is a lecturer and researcher in molecular and cellular biology and biotechnology.  He is trained in stem cell biology and regenerative sciences, molecular and cellular biology and virology.  Currently has research activities that intersect virology, molecular diagnostics, stem cell biology, chemical biology and pharmaceutical biotechnology.  His work in stem cell biology and regenerative sciences focused on the development of hepatic cells upon differentiation from induced pluripotent stem cells and their applications as cellular models, suitability for gene editing/correction, and potential cell therapy use.  As a lecturer he has taught extensively in the areas of molecular and cellular biology, molecular developmental biology, virology and pharmaceutical biotechnology covering the various applications of molecular biology tools including gene editing in basic and applied biomedical research.  He is a professional member of the Cancer Epigenetics Society, Biotechnology Society of Tanzania, and one of the founding members of the Tanzania Society for Human Genetics (now named Tanzania Human Genetics Organization) where he serves as a member of the advisory board.  He serves as a member and current Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee on Medical Devices and In Vitro Diagnostics of the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA), and a member of the National Biosafety Committee of the United Republic of Tanzania. He also serves as an Honorary Secretary of the African Biological Safety Association (AfBSA).

David O’Brochta, Ph. D., Technical Lead for Gene Drive Research, Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. Professor Emeritus, Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA

Dr. O’Brochta is the Technical Lead for the FNIH’s activities related to gene drive technology. Previously, as a Professor at the University of Maryland, he taught extensively in the areas of Genetics and Insect Biotechnologies. He is trained in entomology and molecular genetics and until recently had an active research program focused on the development of transgenic insect technologies and their applications to fundamental and applied problems in medical and agricultural entomology. His work in vector biology focused on the development of transgenic mosquito technologies and their applications to the study of mosquito/parasite interactions and he has used “gene editing technologies” in his research programs. He is a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, past President of the Physiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology Section of the Entomological Society of America and past Editor of the Royal Entomological Society’s journal, Insect Molecular Biology. He was the founding Director of the Insect Transformation Facility in the University of Maryland’s Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, a facility providing genetic technical services, including gene editing, and training to insect scientists in support of their research

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