On March 4, 2025, Skyline College’s Biotechnology Program students gathered in Room 7-204 for a hands-on CRISPR lab experience led by Stanford student Matthew Borg Hymn Lau. This collaboration introduced students to a new and cost-effective method for teaching CRISPR gene-editing techniques—one that could make cutting-edge biotechnology more accessible to community college and high school students.
What is CRISPR and Why Is It Important?
CRISPR is a powerful gene-editing tool that allows scientists to modify DNA rapidly. However, traditional CRISPR labs often require expensive biosafety cabinets, living organisms, and advanced lab equipment, making them financially and technically out of reach for many schools. This new version of the CRISPR experiment is designed to cost less than $2 per student, eliminating the need for complex biological systems.
Instead of working with live cells, students used cell-free extracts, where cellular machinery like RNA polymerase remains functional even after the cells have been broken open. This allowed them to study the conversion of the amino acid tyrosine into melanin, a natural pigment in human skin.
Skyline College Students Take on the Challenge
Students from BTEC 150, BTEC 171, and Biology majors participated in the experiment, which required high-precision micro pipetting—transferring tiny liquid volumes (1 to 8 microliters, or one-millionth of a liter). Students new to the technique received guidance from more experienced classmates, fostering collaboration and peer learning.
Matthew also took the opportunity to share his experience as a Stanford student while Skyline College students explained their journeys in community college biotechnology. The session sparked engaging discussions on the differences between community college and university education and how CRISPR technology is advancing across academic institutions.
Expanding Biotech Access to Local Schools
Executive Director Ying-Tsu Loh attended the event from BABEC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding biotechnology education. BABEC is interested in seeing whether Skyline College students could help manufacture components of this CRISPR experiment, making it more widely available to local high schools.
The experiment tested whether the CRISPR system could turn off a gene using a modified dCas9 protein, which blocks gene expression rather than cutting DNA. This approach acts as a temporary “light switch” for genes rather than making permanent genetic modifications. Results from the experiment are still being analyzed, but if successful, Skyline College students could play a key role in bringing 21st-century biotech experiments into more classrooms.
Article by Nick Kapp, Photo by Ying-Tsu Loh. Skyline College biotechnology students and Matthew Borg Hymn Lau from Stanford University Dr. Stanley Qi’s laboratory.
