Derek Tai, a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Talkowski Lab since 2013 comments on the lab’s most recent Nature Neuroscience paper of which he is first author: “Recently, we developed a new CRISPR approach which can directly target perfectly homologous sequences in the segmental duplications and model the reciprocal dosage imbalances that occur via NAHR mechanisms. In this study, we have successfully demonstrated its capabilities by generating reciprocal copy number variants of 16p11.2 and 15q13.3 in human iPS cells. It provides tremendous power for the research of recurrent genomic disorders and may pave the way towards new therapeutics for the disease.”
This was featured in Spectrum: https://spectrumnews.org/news/clever-strategy-recreates-large-dna-changes-linked-to-autism/
Link to paper: http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v19/n3/full/nn.4235.html