TEDSummit
Ellen Jorgensen: What you need to know about CRISPR
Ellen Jorgensen: 关于CRISPR你必须知道的东西
Filmed:
Readability: 3.8
2,076,993 views
我们应该复活猛犸象吗？是否应该改造人类胚胎？或是将我们认为有害的物种彻底消灭？染色体改造技术CRISPR将这些问题变得只关乎法律--但它是怎样运行的呢？科学家，社区实验室倡导者Ellen Jorgensen将介绍关于CRISPR的谜团和真相。秉着纯粹传播科学的目的，她将向普罗大众揭开CRISPR神秘的面纱。
Ellen Jorgensen - Biologist, community science advocate
Ellen Jorgensen is at the leading edge of the do-it-yourself biotechnology movement, bringing scientific exploration and understanding to the public. Full bio
Ellen Jorgensen is at the leading edge of the do-it-yourself biotechnology movement, bringing scientific exploration and understanding to the public. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
So, has everybody heard of CRISPR?
0
850
1903
有人听说过 CRISPR 吗
00:15
I would be shocked if you hadn't.
1
3883
2602
大家应该都知道
00:18
This is a technology --
it's for genome editing --
it's for genome editing --
2
6509
3202
这是一种人为改变染色体的技术
00:21
and it's so versatile and so controversial
3
9735
2834
这种技术如此全能却又十分引人争议
00:24
that it's sparking all sorts
of really interesting conversations.
of really interesting conversations.
4
12593
3241
以至于各种有趣的争论应运而生
00:28
Should we bring back the woolly mammoth?
5
16631
2063
我们要猛犸象复活吗？
00:31
Should we edit a human embryo?
6
19281
2294
我们应该改造人类胚胎吗？
00:34
And my personal favorite:
7
22041
2122
我最喜欢的一个问题是
00:36
How can we justify
wiping out an entire species
wiping out an entire species
8
24997
3651
我们能够接受
00:40
that we consider harmful to humans
9
28672
2444
用这种技术
00:43
off the face of the Earth,
10
31140
1302
将一个人类认为有害的物种
00:44
using this technology?
11
32466
1517
从地球上完全消灭吗？
00:47
This type of science
is moving much faster
is moving much faster
12
35165
3283
这种科技比控制它本身的
常规技术
常规技术
00:50
than the regulatory mechanisms
that govern it.
that govern it.
13
38472
2844
发展的还要快
00:53
And so, for the past six years,
14
41340
2067
在过去六年里
00:55
I've made it my personal mission
15
43431
1945
我致力于
00:57
to make sure that as many people
as possible understand
as possible understand
16
45863
3010
让更多人了解这种技术
01:00
these types of technologies
and their implications.
and their implications.
17
48897
3100
以及它的意义何在
01:04
Now, CRISPR has been the subject
of a huge media hype,
of a huge media hype,
18
52021
4529
现在，CRISPR已经成了媒体炒作的焦点
01:09
and the words that are used most often
are "easy" and "cheap."
are "easy" and "cheap."
19
57089
4359
最普遍的用于描述它的词
是“容易” 和“廉价”
是“容易” 和“廉价”
01:14
So what I want to do is drill down
a little bit deeper
a little bit deeper
20
62337
3139
我想将这个话题深入下去
01:17
and look into some of the myths
and the realities around CRISPR.
and the realities around CRISPR.
21
65500
4184
并探讨与之有关的谜团
以及现实状况
以及现实状况
01:22
If you're trying to CRISPR a genome,
22
70954
1950
如果 你想在一条染色体
上做CRISPR
上做CRISPR
01:25
the first thing that you have to do
is damage the DNA.
is damage the DNA.
23
73594
2600
你得首先破环DNA分子
01:29
The damage comes in the form
of a double-strand break
of a double-strand break
24
77098
3042
这种破坏需要从双螺旋结构上
01:32
through the double helix.
25
80164
1564
斩断双链结构
01:33
And then the cellular repair
processes kick in,
processes kick in,
26
81752
2752
随后细胞的修复机制开始插手
01:37
and then we convince
those repair processes
those repair processes
27
85088
2639
这是我们就可以让这些修复系统
01:39
to make the edit that we want,
28
87751
1876
来改造我们想要的基因了
01:42
and not a natural edit.
29
90054
1542
这不是自然的改造
01:43
That's how it works.
30
91620
1245
这就是这种技术的原理
01:45
It's a two-part system.
31
93929
1723
这是一个两步走的技术
01:47
You've got a Cas9 protein
and something called a guide RNA.
and something called a guide RNA.
32
95676
3371
首先要有一个Cas9蛋白质
还有一种向导RNA
还有一种向导RNA
01:51
I like to think of it as a guided missile.
33
99071
2462
可以将其比作定向导弹
01:53
So the Cas9 --
I love to anthropomorphize --
I love to anthropomorphize --
34
101557
2646
于是Cas9蛋白质
-我喜欢将其拟人化
-我喜欢将其拟人化
01:56
so the Cas9 is kind of this Pac-Man thing
35
104227
3230
Cas9 就像是吃豆人中的小圆脸
01:59
that wants to chew DNA,
36
107481
1545
迫不及待地想要吃掉 DNA
02:01
and the guide RNA is the leash
that's keeping it out of the genome
that's keeping it out of the genome
37
109050
4156
向导 RNA 就像是
控制住它不进入染色体的皮带
控制住它不进入染色体的皮带
02:05
until it finds the exact spot
where it matches.
where it matches.
38
113230
2849
直到它找到了符合的位置
02:08
And the combination of those two
is called CRISPR.
is called CRISPR.
39
116912
2894
这两种分子的结合体就叫做 CRISPR
02:11
It's a system that we stole
40
119830
1568
这是一种我们从
02:13
from an ancient, ancient
bacterial immune system.
bacterial immune system.
41
121422
2894
古老的细菌结构中
发现的方法
发现的方法
02:17
The part that's amazing about it
is that the guide RNA,
is that the guide RNA,
42
125469
3740
最令人惊奇的部分是 RNA
02:22
only 20 letters of it,
43
130041
1891
虽只有20个有效信息
02:23
are what target the system.
44
131956
1638
但却是整个结构的定位部分
02:26
This is really easy to design,
45
134570
2143
CRISPR 设计起来非常容易
02:28
and it's really cheap to buy.
46
136737
1819
并且价格低廉
02:30
So that's the part
that is modular in the system;
that is modular in the system;
47
138985
4005
这种手法已经被模块化
02:35
everything else stays the same.
48
143014
1798
并且一成不变
02:37
This makes it a remarkably easy
and powerful system to use.
and powerful system to use.
49
145481
3431
因此这种技术用起来十分便捷
并且有效
并且有效
02:42
The guide RNA and the Cas9
protein complex together
protein complex together
50
150047
4240
向导 RNA 和 Cas9 蛋白质
组成一个整体
组成一个整体
02:46
go bouncing along the genome,
51
154311
1932
在染色体上来回穿梭
02:48
and when they find a spot
where the guide RNA matches,
where the guide RNA matches,
52
156267
3493
当它们发现一个与
向导 RNA 吻合的部位时
向导 RNA 吻合的部位时
02:51
then it inserts between the two strands
of the double helix,
of the double helix,
53
159784
2855
就会嵌入双螺旋结构
02:54
it rips them apart,
54
162663
1568
将其撕裂
02:56
that triggers the Cas9 protein to cut,
55
164692
2688
导致 Cas9 蛋白质开始切割工作
02:59
and all of a sudden,
56
167962
1419
于是突然之间
03:01
you've got a cell that's in total panic
57
169816
1900
你就让一个细胞处在了极大的恐慌之中
03:03
because now it's got a piece
of DNA that's broken.
of DNA that's broken.
58
171740
2625
因为它的一条 DNA 收到了破坏
03:07
What does it do?
59
175000
1296
这时它该怎么办呢-
03:08
It calls its first responders.
60
176320
2194
呼叫现场急救员
03:10
There are two major repair pathways.
61
178959
2622
细胞有着两种主要的修复机制
03:13
The first just takes the DNA
and shoves the two pieces back together.
and shoves the two pieces back together.
62
181605
5069
第一种是直接将断掉的 DNA 接上
03:18
This isn't a very efficient system,
63
186698
2098
这种方法不是最有效的
03:20
because what happens is
sometimes a base drops out
sometimes a base drops out
64
188820
2729
由于有时会多一个链环
03:23
or a base is added.
65
191573
1427
有时又会少一个
03:25
It's an OK way to maybe, like,
knock out a gene,
knock out a gene,
66
193024
3793
这种方法只能...
算撞出一个基因来
算撞出一个基因来
03:28
but it's not the way that we really want
to do genome editing.
to do genome editing.
67
196841
3233
但不是我们通常想要的
基因改造方式
基因改造方式
03:32
The second repair pathway
is a lot more interesting.
is a lot more interesting.
68
200098
2895
第二种修复机制更为有趣
03:35
In this repair pathway,
69
203017
1636
在这种机制中
03:36
it takes a homologous piece of DNA.
70
204677
2681
细胞会寻找一条相同的 DNA
03:39
And now mind you, in a diploid
organism like people,
organism like people,
71
207382
2640
在有着双染色体的生物-
比如说人类
比如说人类
03:42
we've got one copy of our genome
from our mom and one from our dad,
from our mom and one from our dad,
72
210046
4248
我们得到了我们父母
各自的一组染色体
各自的一组染色体
03:46
so if one gets damaged,
73
214318
1275
如果一条 DNA 受损
03:47
it can use the other
chromosome to repair it.
chromosome to repair it.
74
215617
2395
细胞可以
用另外一条来修复它
用另外一条来修复它
03:50
So that's where this comes from.
75
218036
1633
这就是这种技术的原理
03:52
The repair is made,
76
220518
1464
修复成功之后
03:54
and now the genome is safe again.
77
222006
1951
染色体又重获安全
03:56
The way that we can hijack this
78
224616
1523
我们将其调包的方法
03:58
is we can feed it a false piece of DNA,
79
226497
3708
是用一条新的 DNA--
04:02
a piece that has homology on both ends
80
230229
2144
在两端上与原来相同
04:04
but is different in the middle.
81
232397
1699
中间却不同
--来修复它
--来修复它
04:06
So now, you can put
whatever you want in the center
whatever you want in the center
82
234120
2467
于是你可以随心所欲地
将你想要的中间部分安装上去
将你想要的中间部分安装上去
04:08
and the cell gets fooled.
83
236611
1515
细胞本身却毫无察觉
04:10
So you can change a letter,
84
238150
2119
你可以改变基因中的一条信息
04:12
you can take letters out,
85
240293
1265
也可以删除它
04:13
but most importantly,
you can stuff new DNA in,
you can stuff new DNA in,
86
241582
2924
但最为重要的是
你可以像特洛伊木马一样
你可以像特洛伊木马一样
04:16
kind of like a Trojan horse.
87
244530
1749
将一条全新的 DNA 嵌入
04:19
CRISPR is going to be amazing,
88
247089
2185
CRISPR 的作用出人预料
04:21
in terms of the number of different
scientific advances
scientific advances
89
249298
3618
它能推动许多
04:24
that it's going to catalyze.
90
252940
1657
不同领域的科技发展
04:26
The thing that's special about it
is this modular targeting system.
is this modular targeting system.
91
254621
3221
它的特殊之处在于这个
攻击系统模块
攻击系统模块
04:29
I mean, we've been shoving DNA
into organisms for years, right?
into organisms for years, right?
92
257866
3767
我们多年来一直尝试着
将 DNA 嵌入生物体中
将 DNA 嵌入生物体中
04:33
But because of the modular
targeting system,
targeting system,
93
261657
2127
但由于这种模块攻击系统
04:35
we can actually put it
exactly where we want it.
exactly where we want it.
94
263808
2425
我们能将它放在我们想要的地方
04:39
The thing is that there's
a lot of talk about it being cheap
a lot of talk about it being cheap
95
267423
5669
问题是现在有很多关于
它的廉价性
它的廉价性
04:45
and it being easy.
96
273116
1742
和便捷性的话题
04:46
And I run a community lab.
97
274882
2812
我有着一所社区实验室
04:50
I'm starting to get emails from people
that say stuff like,
that say stuff like,
98
278242
3556
并且开始收到人们的来信--
04:53
"Hey, can I come to your open night
99
281822
2397
“我能在开放夜来你那吗？
04:56
and, like, maybe use CRISPR
and engineer my genome?"
and engineer my genome?"
100
284243
3617
借我用用 CRISPR 编辑
一下自己的基因行吗？”
一下自己的基因行吗？”
04:59
(Laugher)
101
287884
1110
（笑声）
05:01
Like, seriously.
102
289018
1501
讲真的
05:03
I'm, "No, you can't."
103
291376
1803
我说：“不，你不行“
05:05
(Laughter)
104
293203
1010
（笑声）
05:06
"But I've heard it's cheap.
I've heard it's easy."
I've heard it's easy."
105
294237
2355
“但我听说那很便宜，很简单啊”
05:08
We're going to explore that a little bit.
106
296616
2183
我们谈谈这个吧
05:10
So, how cheap is it?
107
298823
1949
究竟有多便宜？
05:12
Yeah, it is cheap in comparison.
108
300796
2410
相对来说确实便宜
05:15
It's going to take the cost of the average
materials for an experiment
materials for an experiment
109
303665
3619
它能将一个实验所需材料
通常的价格
通常的价格
05:19
from thousands of dollars
to hundreds of dollars,
to hundreds of dollars,
110
307308
2532
从几千美元降至几百美元
05:21
and it cuts the time a lot, too.
111
309864
1936
还能节约时间
05:23
It can cut it from weeks to days.
112
311824
2080
几周的工作几天就能完成
05:26
That's great.
113
314246
1492
这很好
05:27
You still need a professional lab
to do the work in;
to do the work in;
114
315762
2690
但你仍需要专业的实验室来做
05:30
you're not going to do anything meaningful
outside of a professional lab.
outside of a professional lab.
115
318476
3512
没有实验室
是不可能完成这项技术的
是不可能完成这项技术的
05:34
I mean, don't listen to anyone who says
116
322012
2004
别相信那些说
05:36
you can do this sort of stuff
on your kitchen table.
on your kitchen table.
117
324040
2731
你可以在自家厨房里做实验的人
05:39
It's really not easy
to do this kind of work.
to do this kind of work.
118
327421
4508
这项技术真的不简单
05:43
Not to mention,
there's a patent battle going on,
there's a patent battle going on,
119
331953
2308
更别说有一场如火如荼的
专利战打的正酣
专利战打的正酣
05:46
so even if you do invent something,
120
334285
1826
即使发明者创造出了
这样的奇思妙想
这样的奇思妙想
05:48
the Broad Institute and UC Berkeley
are in this incredible patent battle.
are in this incredible patent battle.
121
336135
6636
布罗德研究所和 UC 伯克利也
在为专利权而争斗不休
在为专利权而争斗不休
05:54
It's really fascinating
to watch it happen,
to watch it happen,
122
342795
2388
隔岸观火很有趣
05:57
because they're accusing each other
of fraudulent claims
of fraudulent claims
123
345207
3248
因为他们都在不断控诉对方，
称其发布诬告性言论
称其发布诬告性言论
06:00
and then they've got people saying,
124
348479
1731
他们中的有人常常说
06:02
"Oh, well, I signed
my notebook here or there."
my notebook here or there."
125
350234
2784
“我在我的笔记本上到处都记了笔记”
06:05
This isn't going to be settled for years.
126
353042
2101
这件事好几年都没完
06:07
And when it is,
127
355167
1160
即使真的解决了
06:08
you can bet you're going to pay someone
a really hefty licensing fee
a really hefty licensing fee
128
356351
3285
到那时你就得为使用这项技术
06:11
in order to use this stuff.
129
359660
1349
支付高昂的费用
06:13
So, is it really cheap?
130
361343
1781
所以它真的便宜吗？
06:15
Well, it's cheap if you're doing
basic research and you've got a lab.
basic research and you've got a lab.
131
363148
5199
如果你有自己的实验室，并且
在做基础学科实验的话——是的
在做基础学科实验的话——是的
06:21
How about easy?
Let's look at that claim.
Let's look at that claim.
132
369220
2276
容易吗？
现在我们来谈谈这个
现在我们来谈谈这个
06:24
The devil is always in the details.
133
372417
2488
魔鬼总藏在深处
06:27
We don't really know
that much about cells.
that much about cells.
134
375881
3131
我们仍然不十分了解细胞
06:31
They're still kind of black boxes.
135
379036
1670
他们就像是一个黑匣子
06:32
For example, we don't know
why some guide RNAs work really well
why some guide RNAs work really well
136
380730
4860
比如说，我们不知道为什么有一些RNA
十分有效
十分有效
06:37
and some guide RNAs don't.
137
385614
2063
有一些却不是这样
06:39
We don't know why some cells
want to do one repair pathway
want to do one repair pathway
138
387701
3468
我们也不知道为什么
一些细胞采用一种修复机制
一些细胞采用一种修复机制
06:43
and some cells would rather do the other.
139
391193
2458
另一些采用另外一种
06:46
And besides that,
140
394270
1284
除了这些以外
06:47
there's the whole problem
of getting the system into the cell
of getting the system into the cell
141
395578
2869
在一开始
06:50
in the first place.
142
398471
1264
将这个系统植入细胞时
同样面临着问题
同样面临着问题
06:51
In a petri dish, that's not that hard,
143
399759
2002
在培养皿中，这不是很难
06:53
but if you're trying to do it
on a whole organism,
on a whole organism,
144
401785
2445
可是如果是整个生物体
06:56
it gets really tricky.
145
404254
1543
那就很麻烦了
06:58
It's OK if you use something
like blood or bone marrow --
like blood or bone marrow --
146
406224
3186
采用血液或是骨髓是可行的
07:01
those are the targets
of a lot of research now.
of a lot of research now.
147
409434
2227
它们也是现在的研究重点
07:03
There was a great story
of some little girl
of some little girl
148
411685
2251
有一个关于一位女孩
奇迹的故事
奇迹的故事
07:05
who they saved from leukemia
149
413960
1652
她患了白血病
07:07
by taking the blood out, editing it,
and putting it back
and putting it back
150
415636
2674
最后通过将血取出，人为将其改造后
放回人体
放回人体
07:10
with a precursor of CRISPR.
151
418334
2049
最终痊愈——用的是CRISPR的前期技术
07:12
And this is a line of research
that people are going to do.
that people are going to do.
152
420869
2796
这是一种人们希望从事的研究
07:15
But right now, if you want to get
into the whole body,
into the whole body,
153
423689
2553
但是如果你想针对整个人体
07:18
you're probably going
to have to use a virus.
to have to use a virus.
154
426266
2144
可能就要用到病毒了
07:20
So you take the virus,
you put the CRISPR into it,
you put the CRISPR into it,
155
428434
2373
采集病毒以后，
将 CRISPR 放进去
将 CRISPR 放进去
07:22
you let the virus infect the cell.
156
430831
1706
你需要让病毒感染细胞
07:24
But now you've got this virus in there,
157
432561
2143
但只要你将病毒注入细胞内部
07:26
and we don't know what the long-term
effects of that are.
effects of that are.
158
434728
2688
就可能出现长期的副作用
07:29
Plus, CRISPR has some off-target effects,
159
437440
2268
而且 CRISPR 还有一些
伤及无辜的攻击行为
伤及无辜的攻击行为
07:31
a very small percentage,
but they're still there.
but they're still there.
160
439732
2961
只占很小一部分——
但总之存在
但总之存在
07:34
What's going to happen
over time with that?
over time with that?
161
442717
2798
一段时间过后又会发生什么呢？
07:38
These are not trivial questions,
162
446039
2212
这不是小事
07:40
and there are scientists
that are trying to solve them,
that are trying to solve them,
163
448275
2640
有科学家一直想要解决这些问题
07:42
and they will eventually,
hopefully, be solved.
hopefully, be solved.
164
450939
2286
而且它们有可能被解决
07:45
But it ain't plug-and-play,
not by a long shot.
not by a long shot.
165
453249
3634
但研究需要时间
07:48
So: Is it really easy?
166
456907
1759
这种方法真的容易吗？
07:51
Well, if you spend a few years
working it out in your particular system,
working it out in your particular system,
167
459032
4333
在经过几年的深入研究之后
07:55
yes, it is.
168
463389
1425
它才真正变得容易
07:57
Now the other thing is,
169
465426
2084
还有一个问题是
07:59
we don't really know that much about how
to make a particular thing happen
to make a particular thing happen
170
467534
6359
我们不知道怎样通过改变染色体中的
某个部位
某个部位
08:05
by changing particular spots
in the genome.
in the genome.
171
473917
2905
来到达我们想要的目的
08:09
We're a long way away from figuring out
172
477306
2167
我们现在还无法获知
08:11
how to give a pig wings, for example.
173
479497
2369
怎样使一只猪长出翅膀
08:14
Or even an extra leg -- I'd settle
for an extra leg.
for an extra leg.
174
482364
2864
或是多长一条腿
08:17
That would be kind of cool, right?
175
485252
1646
那会十分有趣，不是吗
08:18
But what is happening
176
486922
1536
但确切的是
08:20
is that CRISPR is being used
by thousands and thousands of scientists
by thousands and thousands of scientists
177
488482
4350
CRISPR 正被成千上万的科学家利用
08:24
to do really, really important work,
178
492856
2372
去做十分重要的工作
08:27
like making better models
of diseases in animals, for example,
of diseases in animals, for example,
179
495252
5444
例如建造更好的动物疾病模型
08:32
or for taking pathways
that produce valuable chemicals
that produce valuable chemicals
180
500720
4982
或是找到经济的化学物质
生产方法
生产方法
08:37
and getting them into industrial
production and fermentation vats,
production and fermentation vats,
181
505726
3882
用它们进行工业生产和发酵
08:42
or even doing really basic research
on what genes do.
on what genes do.
182
510021
3461
甚至是有关基因功能的基本研究
08:46
This is the story of CRISPR
we should be telling,
we should be telling,
183
514022
2929
这才是 CRISPR 真正的用处
08:48
and I don't like it
that the flashier aspects of it
that the flashier aspects of it
184
516975
3464
我不赞同让它的瑕疵
08:52
are drowning all of this out.
185
520463
1756
掩盖了它真正的光芒
08:54
Lots of scientists did a lot of work
to make CRISPR happen,
to make CRISPR happen,
186
522243
4574
不计其数的科学家
呕心沥血造就了 CRISPR
呕心沥血造就了 CRISPR
08:58
and what's interesting to me
187
526841
1619
我认为十分明智的是
09:00
is that these scientists
are being supported by our society.
are being supported by our society.
188
528484
4510
这些科学家受到了社会的广泛支持
09:05
Think about it.
189
533423
1159
想一想
09:06
We've got an infrastructure that allows
a certain percentage of people
a certain percentage of people
190
534606
4019
我们有着能够让一小部分人
在里面倾其一生
在里面倾其一生
09:10
to spend all their time doing research.
191
538983
3309
从事科学研究的机构
09:14
That makes us all the inventors of CRISPR,
192
542984
3371
这让我们所有人
成为了 CRISPR 的创造者
成为了 CRISPR 的创造者
09:18
and I would say that makes us all
the shepherds of CRISPR.
the shepherds of CRISPR.
193
546998
4468
让我们成为 CRISPR
的掌控者
的掌控者
09:23
We all have a responsibility.
194
551490
1807
我们需要负起责任来
09:25
So I would urge you to really learn
about these types of technologies,
about these types of technologies,
195
553749
3956
所以我们需要
重视这方面的技术
重视这方面的技术
09:30
because, really, only in that way
196
558010
2019
因为，只有这样
09:32
are we going to be able to guide
the development of these technologies,
the development of these technologies,
197
560415
4352
我们才能掌控这些技术的发展
09:36
the use of these technologies
198
564791
1932
和它们的应用
09:38
and make sure that, in the end,
it's a positive outcome --
it's a positive outcome --
199
566747
3755
然后确保到最后
我们能得到正面的结果
我们能得到正面的结果
09:43
for both the planet and for us.
200
571034
3132
不管是对这颗星球
还是我们自己
还是我们自己
09:46
Thanks.
201
574698
1192
谢谢
09:47
(Applause)
202
575914
3902
（掌声）
Translated by: Elvis Liu
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Ellen Jorgensen - Biologist, community science advocateEllen Jorgensen is at the leading edge of the do-it-yourself biotechnology movement, bringing scientific exploration and understanding to the public.
Why you should listen
In 2009, after many years of working as a molecular biologist in the biotech industry, together with TED Fellow Oliver Medvedik, Jorgensen founded Genspace, a nonprofit community laboratory dedicated to promoting citizen science and access to biotechnology. Despite criticism that bioresearch should be left to the experts, the Brooklyn-based lab continues to thrive, providing educational outreach, cultural events and a platform for science innovation at the grassroots level. At the lab, amateur and professional scientists conduct award-winning research on projects as diverse as identifying microbes that live in Earth's atmosphere and (Jorgensen's own pet project) DNA-barcoding plants, to distinguish between species that look alike but may not be closely related evolutionarily. Fast Company magazine named Genspace one of the world's "Top 10 innovative companies in education."
Ellen Jorgensen | Speaker | TED.com