From May 19–22, the Crop Bioengineering Center hosted its 3.5-day Plant CRISPR Workshop, bringing together researchers and trainees for an immersive, hands-on experience in plant genetic transformation and genome editing.
Held in the Advanced Teaching and Research Building, the workshop provided participants with practical training in CRISPR-Cas guide RNA design, vector construction, Agrobacterium handling and agroinfection, maize immature embryo transformation, and morphogenic regulator-assisted transformation techniques for monocot and dicot crops including maize, sorghum, and soybean. Participants also received an introduction to plant single-cell transcriptomics and emerging gene expression analysis tools.
The workshop emphasized both foundational techniques and cutting-edge applications in plant biotechnology, while also providing opportunities for collaboration and discussion among researchers from a variety of disciplines and institutions.
A highlight of this year's workshop was the opportunity for participants to interact with leading experts from both academia and industry. Guest lecturers Feng Zhang and Anshu Alok from the University of Minnesota, along with Nagesh Sardesai and Ning Wang from Corteva Agriscience, shared their expertise and experiences applying genome-editing technologies to address important challenges in plant science and agriculture. Their presentations enriched the workshop experience by connecting hands-on training with current research discoveries and real-world applications.
The 30-participant workshop brought together academic and industry researchers from the United States and scientists from Brazil, Estonia, Germany, Jordan, and Korea.
“We truly hope you had as much fun as we did,” workshop organizers shared with participants following the event. “Your enthusiasm and engagement made all of our preparation efforts worthwhile. We are confident that the learning and discussions from this workshop will have a positive impact on your research programs.”
Participant feedback reflected the strong engagement and collaborative atmosphere throughout the workshop:
“The team who set up and planned this event worked really hard and it showed. It was a great experience.”
“The hands-on experience and the one-on-one guidance we received from experts was phenomenal. It was very well organized and I never felt lost.”
In addition to the technical training, participants had the opportunity to earn microcredential badges recognizing their hands-on experience and professional development in plant genome editing technologies.
The CBC extends its appreciation to the instructors, staff, and participants who contributed to the success of the workshop and looks forward to continuing to expand training opportunities in plant transformation and genome editing.
