An Independent Study in Gene Therapy
As part of the culmination of her Independent Study, “Advances in Gene Therapy in a Changing Field,” Maya H. ‘20 gave a presentation about CRISPR, the basis for genome editing technology, to both Dr. Tiffani Kocsis’s 9th grade Biology classes this past winter.
Maya has been interested in gene therapy since she was introduced to the topic in her own 9th grade Biology course. This interest deepened during an AP Biology course she took during her junior year. Maya wanted to delve into the subject matter more fully during her senior year, so she enlisted high school science teacher Dr. Leticia Sanchez to help her create a course specifically designed for her and which took place during Maya’s free block. “I wanted to concentrate on genetics but did not simply want to take an online course,” Maya said. “I wanted the experience to be more interactive, more specialized. Dr. Sanchez helped me conduct research and find scientific journals and videos pertinent to my area of study.”
Dr. Sanchez, whose doctorate is in evolutionary biology, noted that Maya's ability to work creatively and independently is what drove her to work with her in an independent study. “Maya and I worked collaboratively in all aspects of the course and that is what makes this format so unique and wonderful. We had discussions over journal articles, she had an oral and written exam similar to a dissertation defense that students take in their first years of graduate school, she completed a CRISPR lab experiment, and she wrote a research paper that examined the renewed potential in gene therapy thanks to the discovery of CRISPR.”
In her presentation, Maya outlined some of the ethical implications of CRISPR technology. Not only can it be used to edit genes and may, in future, be used to help cure diseases such as muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis, but this same technology could potentially be used to produce “designer babies” with preselected attributes such as hair or eye color. As Maya pointed out, the use of CRISPR could have far-reaching effects on the human race - a thought which left the class plenty to discuss.
Maya’s clear presentation exhibited that she not only learned a great deal during her Independent Study, but was also able to synthesize and articulate the material in a manner that was engaging to younger students. She also deftly answered challenging questions from the students and Dr. Kocsis.
“I am very proud of the work Maya did and so thankful to have had the chance to work alongside her,” Dr. Sanchez said. “She is a wonderful person both in the classroom and out.”
“This Independent Study has given me the chance to explore a topic I am fascinated about,” stated Maya. “It has also helped solidify that gene therapy is something I want to study in college.”
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Dr. Sanchez, whose doctorate is in evolutionary biology, noted that Maya's ability to work creatively and independently is what drove her to work with her in an independent study. “Maya and I worked collaboratively in all aspects of the course and that is what makes this format so unique and wonderful. We had discussions over journal articles, she had an oral and written exam similar to a dissertation defense that students take in their first years of graduate school, she completed a CRISPR lab experiment, and she wrote a research paper that examined the renewed potential in gene therapy thanks to the discovery of CRISPR.”
In her presentation, Maya outlined some of the ethical implications of CRISPR technology. Not only can it be used to edit genes and may, in future, be used to help cure diseases such as muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis, but this same technology could potentially be used to produce “designer babies” with preselected attributes such as hair or eye color. As Maya pointed out, the use of CRISPR could have far-reaching effects on the human race - a thought which left the class plenty to discuss.
Maya’s clear presentation exhibited that she not only learned a great deal during her Independent Study, but was also able to synthesize and articulate the material in a manner that was engaging to younger students. She also deftly answered challenging questions from the students and Dr. Kocsis.
“I am very proud of the work Maya did and so thankful to have had the chance to work alongside her,” Dr. Sanchez said. “She is a wonderful person both in the classroom and out.”
“This Independent Study has given me the chance to explore a topic I am fascinated about,” stated Maya. “It has also helped solidify that gene therapy is something I want to study in college.”
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