Changing the Human Story with CRISPR-Cas9 | Elaine Shults | TEDxCU

CRISPR-Cas9 is a revolutionary genetic editing tool that will change the way we think about genetic editing in humans. CRISPR-Cas9’s immense influence begs a number of difficult questions: How does this technology work? What can it be used for? And how do we start weighing the ethical implications in a responsible way? The answers to these questions are hardly black and white. With CRISPR, we are now being challenged to embrace the gray. Elaine Shults graduated magna cum laude from the University of Colorado with a degree in Biochemistry and three minors in Dance, Leadership Studies, and Chemistry. She was a member of the Presidents Leadership Class, where she served as a Senior Staff Member and a Course Fellow. She grew up in North Carolina and now serves as the Director of Development for Lit Without Limits, a non-profit that aims to provide girl mentoring groups with women empowerment-themed literature and corresponding curriculum. She also volunteers with Rocky Mountain Riding Therapy, a Boulder-based organization that offers horse riding lessons to people with disabilities. Elaine completed her senior honors thesis by purifying the Cas9 protein, which is required for the genome editing technology CRISPR-Cas9. Her future includes taking time to travel, working with Bioscience policy, and eventually attending law school. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx