Midday Science Cafe- Combating Climate Change with CRISPR
This month’s Midday Science Cafe features two scientists putting the gene-editing tool, CRISPR, to work for the good of the Earth, both by tackling the causes of climate change (for example, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels) and by counteracting its effects on major industries, like agriculture. Berkeley Lab’s Dr. Thomas Eng uses CRISPR to discover greener methods for creating fuel and everyday petroleum-based materials with the help of “rewired” microbes. UC Berkeley’s Nicholas Karavolias uses CRISPR to generate a type of rice that may be more drought-tolerant, which is relevant in our increasingly hot, dry climate. Join us in learning how CRISPR technology is being leveraged to slow the flow of carbon emissions and combat the daunting implications of climate change on our food systems.
Featuring:
Dr. Thomas T. Eng
Deputy Director of Host Engineering, Joint BioEnergy Institute
Research Scientist, Biological Systems & Engineering Division
Berkeley Lab
Nicholas Karavolias
Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Plant & Microbial Biology
Innovative Genomics Institute
UC Berkeley
Thursday, July 21, 2022 | 12 PM
Brought to you by UC Berkeley’s Science at Cal and Berkeley Lab’s Government & Community Relations Office, “Midday Science Cafe” is a virtual series that highlights compelling and complementary scientific research from both institutions.