Biodesign of Frugal CRISPR Kits for Equitable and Accessible Education

Equitable and accessible education on life sciences and bioengineering is crucial to training the next generation of scientists, fostering transparency in public decision-making, and ensuring biotechnology democratization that can benefit a wide-ranging population. As a ground-breaking technology for genome engineering, CRISPR has transformed research and therapeutics. However, hands-on exposure to this technology for educational purposes has remained restricted, primarily due to extensive resources required to execute CRISPR experiments. In this study, we develop an accessible and frugal CRISPR kit, tailored for K-12 education settings. Our CRISPR kit eliminates the need for equipment, prioritizes biosafety, and utilizes cost-effective reagents. By combining CRISPRi gene regulation, chromoproteins, cell-free transcription-translation systems, and smartphone-based quantification, our kit offers a user-friendly approach and a reliable assessment of CRISPR activity, eliminating the need for a traditional laboratory setup. Experiments conducted by high school students in real-world settings highlight the kit’s utility for conducting reliable CRISPR experiments. The frugal CRISPR kit provides a modular and expandable platform to offer hands-on experience in genome engineering, and will facilitate equitable and accessible education and technology democratization for communities of diverse socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds.