CRISPR Timeline Explorer

An interactive timeline of major gene editing milestones from 1987 to 2026. Filter by category, significance, or time period. Click any event to see the full story.

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CRISPR Timeline Explorer

CRISPR repeats discovered in E. coli

CRISPR identified in archaea

Mojica realizes CRISPR matches viral DNA

The term "CRISPR" is coined

CRISPR spacers linked to adaptive immunity

Experimental proof: CRISPR provides phage resistance

CRISPR targets DNA, not RNA

Cas9 shown to cut DNA

Charpentier discovers tracrRNA

Doudna & Charpentier publish programmable Cas9

Siksnys demonstrates Cas9 editing independently

CRISPR shown to work in human cells

First CRISPR animal models for cancer research

First human embryo editing experiment

Major CRISPR companies founded or go public

International Summit on Human Gene Editing

First CRISPR human trial begins in China

David Liu invents base editing

Anti-CRISPR proteins discovered

First US CRISPR clinical trial

CRISPR used to correct mutation in human embryos

He Jiankui announces "CRISPR babies"

CRISPR diagnostics emerge (SHERLOCK, DETECTR)

David Liu & Anzalone invent prime editing

Victoria Gray becomes first sickle cell CRISPR patient

He Jiankui sentenced to prison

Doudna & Charpentier win Nobel Prize in Chemistry

CRISPR used to detect SARS-CoV-2

Intellia NTLA-2001: first in vivo CRISPR editing in humans

Verve VERVE-101: first in vivo base editing in humans

WHO issues governance framework for human genome editing

Casgevy approved in the UK (MHRA) — first CRISPR therapy

Casgevy approved by FDA

Casgevy approved for beta-thalassemia

Prime Medicine begins first prime editing human trial

Editas EDIT-301 shows durable sickle cell results

Beam Therapeutics advances BEAM-101 trials

Multiple Chinese companies enter gene editing clinical trials

Intellia clinical hold and lift on NTLA-2002

Epigenome editing enters clinical trials

YolTech receives FDA IND for global pivotal trial

250+ gene editing clinical trials worldwide

Gene editing delivery systems advance rapidly

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