Medicine
CRISPR-Based Biosensors for Rapid Pathogen Detection
Quick fact
CRISPR-based diagnostic tests like SHERLOCK can detect as few as one molecule of a pathogen's genetic material and can be read on paper strips, much like a pregnancy test.
Why this is interesting
You've probably heard of CRISPR as a gene-editing tool, but did you know it can also be used as a rapid disease detector, finding a virus in a drop of blood within minutes? How does a system designed to cut DNA become a biosensor?