Purpose of Review The ability to reprogramme any adult cell back into a pluripotent stem cell state coupled with the capability to precisely edit its genomic sequence has given scientists almost unlimited potential to model any genetic disease and holds great promise for regenerative medicine.
Recent Findings The discovery of CRISPR/Cas9 coupled with continued development and modification of this system has made it possible to manipulate gene expression at both a genetic and epigenetic level exposing the true power of stem cells. The applications of this technology to model any genetic disease, screen new drugs, generate organs for donation and develop cell therapies appear limitless.
Summary In this review, we will provide a SWOT analysis of CRISPR/Cas9 and discuss the most recent developments in induced pluripotent stem cell gene editing and the impact being made in the clinic.