Edit
Genome Engineering: CRISPR/Cas from Cells to Mice – Course and Conference Office

EMBL Course

Genome Engineering: CRISPR/Cas from Cells to Mice

Overview

EMBL is committed to sharing research advances and sustaining scientific interaction throughout the coronavirus pandemic. We are delighted to announce that the course is going virtual and invite you to join us online.

Course Overview

This interactive virtual course will provide training in genome editing and cell engineering in mammalian cells and mouse embryos using the highly efficient CRISPR/Cas9 system. The course will be split into two groups (mammalian cells OR mice) based on participants’ expertise.

Through theoretical and interactive sessions as well as remote demonstrations of some of the practical work in the lab, the participants will learn to design CRISPR targets using bioinformatics tools, generating gene knock-outs/knock-ins and target validation using the most current technologies.

Please note that all participants are expected to engage in all sessions.

Audience

This course is aimed at researchers who are familiar with basic molecular and cell biology techniques and who want to learn how to create an engineered mammalian cell line or mouse model using the most recent and advanced CRISPR/Cas9 system. No previous experience in genome editing is required.

Modules/Resources

During this course you will learn:

  • gRNA and donor design
  • Genome editing of mouse embryos and mammalian cell lines
  • Imaged-based high-throughput screening RNAi vs CRISPR
  • Ethical issues of CRISPR technology and genome engineering

Learning Outcomes

After this course you should be able to:

  • Design CRISPR based editing tools for your target gene of interest
  • Choose the right format of gene editing tool and delivery strategy for your cell type or embryos
  • Edit, screen and validate the engineered models, embryo manipulation

Participant Commitment

  • The virtual course will start on Monday 13 September 2021 with an onboarding session and access to the pre-recorded lectures and pre-course study materials (exercises, assignments, etc.). It will then run from Monday 27 September 2021 until Monday 4 October 2021.
  • The virtual course includes recorded talks, interactive discussion sessions, online practicals, hands-on exercises and networking.
  • Full-time attendance is required for the course duration.
  • Selected participants will have access to the recorded talks 2 weeks before the start of the event. Please note that watching the recordings prior to the start of the course is required and will take approximately 10 hours.
  • Information on the live stream and access to the virtual course platform will be provided shortly before the start of the event.
  • Access to the recorded talks and the virtual course platform will be available for 2 weeks after the end of the event.

What Past Participants Say about the Course

“This course is very helpful even for beginners to overcome the barrier and access to CRISPR technique.” – Seungmin Han, WT-CRUK Gurdon Institute, UK

“The EMBL Genome Engineering course provided me with knowledge, confidence and inspiration to use CRISPR/Cas technology.” – Marina Kazantseva, University of Otago, New Zealand

Speakers and Trainers

Sarah Chan

Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society, University of Edinburgh

UK

Birgit Koch

Max Planck Institute for

Medical Research

Germany

Scientific Organisers

Birgit Koch

Max Planck Institute for

Medical Research

Germany

Course Organisers

Lisa Trinh

Course and Conference

Officer

EMBL Heidelberg

Germany

Yvonne Yeboah

Training Laboratory

Manager

EMBL Heidelberg

Germany

Diah Yulianti

Course and Conference

Officer

EMBL Heidelberg

Germany

Programme

Got something to say? Tweet it with #EMBLCRISPRcas 

  • The virtual course will start on Monday 13 September with an onboarding session and access to the pre-recorded talks from invited speakers and trainers. The course will run from Monday 27 September to Monday 4 October with the regular programme.
  • Participants will be required to view the pre-recorded talks (10 hours) prior to the main start of the course on Monday 27 September. During the six-day course duration, full-time attendance is required.  
  • Information on the live stream and access to the discussion platform will be provided shortly before the start of the event.
  • Access to the recorded talks will be available for 2 weeks after the end of the event.

All times in the programme below are shown as the time in Europe/Berlin.

To find out the equivalent time zone in your location, enter Berlin, the programme date and time along with your city into the Time Zone Converter.

Please note this is a preliminary programme and is not yet finalised.

Day 0 – Monday 13 September 2021
Time
(Europe/Berlin)
Session
13:00 – 14:30Onboarding and technical troubleshooting
Day 1 – Monday 27 September 2021
Time
(Europe/Berlin)
Session
12:45 – 13:00Check-in and overview of the day
13:00 – 13:15Welcome, housenotes and course overview
13:15 – 14:30Icebreaker activity (flashtalks)
14:30 – 14:45Break
14:45 – 15:15Live Q&A session to pre-recorded talk
Some reflections on genome editing
Dana Carroll – University of Utah School of Medicine, USA
15:15 – 15:45Social activity: Online speed networking break
15:45 – 17:00Project discussion in smaller groups
Group 1: Mammalian cells
Group 2: Mouse embryos
Day 2 – Tuesday 28 September 2021
Time
(Europe/Berlin)
Session
12:45 – 13:00Check-in and overview of the day
13:00 – 13:30Live Q&A session to pre-recorded talk
Purification of Cas9 protein

Kim Remans – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
13:30 – 14:00Introduction to practical session
The art of CRISPR design: Guide RNA design with Thermo Fisher

Alexander Schneidereit – Thermo Fisher Scientific, Germany
14:00 – 14:15Break
14:15 – 14:45Introduction to practical session
Overview of gRNA design tools

Birgit Koch – Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Germany
14:45 – 15:15Introduction to practical session
gRNA/donor design for embryos

Neil Humphreys – EMBL Rome, Italy
15:15 – 15:45Break
15:45 – 17:15Interactive practical session
Group assignment: gRNA and donor design
Alexander Schneidereit – Thermo Fisher Scientific, Germany
Birgit Koch – Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Germany
Neil Humphreys – EMBL Rome, Italy
Day 3 – Wednesday 29 September 2021
Time
(Europe/Berlin)
Session
12:45 – 13:00Check-in and overview of the day
13:00 – 13:30Live Q&A session to pre-recorded talk
CRISPR-Cas genome editing to generate transgenic mice

Neil Humphreys – EMBL Rome, Italy
13:30 – 14:00Live Q&A session to pre-recorded talk
General cell line generation and validation strategies

Birgit Koch – Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Germany
14:00 – 14:15Break
14:15 – 15:45Interactive practical session in parallel
Practical Group 1: CRISPR cell engineering workflow with live lab demo of FACS analysis

Carles Marco Llorca – Thermo Fisher Scientific, Germany
Elisabeth Strack – Thermo Fisher Scientific, Germany

Practical Group 2: Basic embryo handling with glass transfer pipette prep, harvest embryos and embryo transfer, assess and clean-up 1-cell embryos
Neil Humphreys – EMBL Rome, Italy
Michela Ascolani – EMBL Rome, Italy
Antonella Vecchio – EMBL Rome, Italy
Alessandra Pisaniello – EMBL Rome, Italy
15:45 – 16:15Break
16:15 – 17:15Project discussion in smaller groups
Group 1: Mammalian cells
Group 2: Mouse embryos
Day 4 – Thursday 30 September 2021
Time
(Europe/Berlin)
Session
12:45 – 13:00Check-in and overview of the day
13:00 – 13:30Live Q&A session to pre-recorded talk
Gene editing in different experimental models

Antony Adamson – The University of Manchester, UK
13:30 – 14:00Live Q&A session to pre-recorded talk
A human tissue screen identifies a regulator of ER secretion as a brain-size determinant
Dominik Lindenhofer – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
14:00 – 14:15Break
14:15 – 15:45Interactive practical session in parallel
Practical Group 1: Detection of the correct integration of tags via Junction PCR followed by live lab demo of live cell imaging

Birgit Koch – Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Germany

Practical Group 2: Microinjection of traffic light reporter TLR2 one cell embryos, assessment of NHEJ vs ssDNA repair via Venus (GFP) and TagRFP fluorescence in post-injected blastocysts
Neil Humphreys – EMBL Rome, Italy
Michela Ascolani – EMBL Rome, Italy
Antonella Vecchio – EMBL Rome, Italy
Alessandra Pisaniello – EMBL Rome, Italy
15:45 – 16:15Social activity: Virtual pub quiz break
16:15 – 17:35Live Q&A session to pre-recorded presentation
Genome modification technologies

Martin Becker – Stilla Technologies, France
Ashley Jacobi – Integrated DNA Technologies, USA
Roxanne Strahan – Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA
Karl von Laer – New England Biolabs, Germany
Day 5 – Friday 1 October 2021
Time
(Europe/Berlin)
Session
12:45 – 13:00Check-in and overview of the day
13:00 – 13:30Live Q&A session to pre-recorded talk
Towards unexpected phenotypes with CRISPR/Cas

Manuel Kaulich – Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Germany
13:30 – 14:00Preparation for interactive session
Ethical issues of CRISPR technology and genome engineering

Sarah Chan – Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society, University of Edinburgh, UK
14:00 – 14:15Break
14:15 – 15:45Interactive practical session
Imaged-based high-throughput screening RNAi vs CRISPR

Beate Neumann – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
15:45 – 16:15Break
16:15 – 17:15Interactive session
Ethical issues of CRISPR technology and genome engineering

Facilitator: Sarah Chan – Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society, University of Edinburgh, UK
17:15 onwardsSocial activity: Virtual bar mixer
Day 6 – Monday 4 October 2021
Time
(Europe/Berlin)
Session
12:45 – 13:00Check-in and overview of the day
13:00 – 13:45gRNA design assignment presentation
13:45 – 14:15Live Q&A session to pre-recorded talk
dPCR and CRISPR: Hand-in-hand technologies to make life easier

Andrea Callegari – GlaxoSmithKline, Germany
Moritz Küblbeck – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
14:15 – 14:45Break
14:45 – 15:30Live interactive discussion
The solution room: Experts and peer supported advice on your most pressing problems
15:30 – 16:00Feedback and wrap-up
16:00End of course

Practical Information

Registration Fees and Motivation Letter

The course is limited to 16 participants. For selection purposes, please note that your application will not be considered without a letter of motivation.

Registration

Registration Fees (include admission and all course materials):

Academia295 Euro
PhD Student295 Euro
Industry520 Euro

Confirmation and Payment

The registration fee should be paid only after acceptance to the course. The results will be announced approximately 2-3 weeks after the application deadline.

Motivation Letter Submission

After you have logged in and successfully registered, you will receive an email asking you to submit your motivation letter. Click on the link provided and enter your motivation letter in the text box provided. Alternatively you can submit your motivation letter by clicking on the link on the confirmation page directly after registering.

Instructions

  1. Include your relevant skills, experience and qualifications showing why you would be suitable for the course.
  2. Explain why you would like to attend, including what you can contribute and how you think you will benefit from the course.

Please note:

Motivation letter length: 
The maximum limit of 2000 characters (ca. 200 words) refers to manually typed text (spaces included).

Free field text length: The maximum characters for your answers in the free field text boxes is 255 (spaces included).Text only: If you copy-paste the text, hidden formatting might still be included and you will be informed that your text exceeds the character limit. We recommend either:

  1. saving your text as text only in your editor or Email programme, OR
  2. copy-pasting it into Notepad and then onto the website.

Symbols: If you have special symbols in your text make sure you are using Unicode characters, otherwise these will not be recognised by the tool.

Further Details

For further information about registration and motivation letter submission please refer to the FAQ page.

Financial Assistance

Financial Assistance

Registration Fee Waivers

All academic and student registrants are invited to apply for a registration fee waiver, provided by the EMBL Advanced Training Centre Corporate Partnership Programme and EMBO. The registration fee waiver covers the registration sum that you have paid to attend the meeting. Conference participants are not required to pre-pay the registration fee to be selected for a fee waiver for a virtual meeting. If you have already paid the registration fee and are awarded a fee waiver, it will be reimbursed after the meeting. Course participants are required to pay the course fee in advance, which will then be reimbursed after the recipient has attended the course.

Childcare Grants

For participants and speakers with childcare responsibilities there is the possibility to apply for a grant, provided by the EMBL Advanced Training Centre Corporate Partnership Programme and EMBO, to offset childcare costs incurred when participating at a virtual event. Eligible costs include fees for a babysitter or childcare facility or travel costs for a care giver. Please note that priority will be given to early stage researchers. Costs will be reimbursed after the meeting only once a reimbursement form and original receipts have been received. Attendance at the event is required in order to be eligible to receive the reimbursement. In order to apply for this grant, you must be registered by the abstract submission deadline.

Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds Travel Grant

Applies to selected courses only. Availability will be indicated during the abstract or motivation letter submission process.

This grant covers costs related to your attendance to the course (registration, travel and accommodation costs). The grant is restricted to PhD students and postdocs who conduct basic biomedical research.
Whether you are eligible to apply for a travel grant, depends on when you received your university entrance qualification (e.g. Abitur, A-Levels, High School Diploma, Final State Examination):

– for PhD and MD students, as well as graduates, the university entrance qualification must not have been obtained more than 11 years ago at the time of the envisaged course
– for postdocs, the university entrance qualification must not have been obtained more than 13 years ago at the time of the envisaged course

Application

Applications for financial assistance can be submitted via the submission portal* (for the submission of abstracts for conferences or the submission of motivation letters for courses) by completing the Financial Assistance Application Section (underneath the section for entering abstract/motivation letter information). The link to the portal can be found in the registration confirmation email that you will receive after registering for the conference or course.

For conferences, if you are not submitting an abstract, you can still apply for financial assistance in the submission portal. Read the instructions on how to apply for financial assistance.

Note that priority will be given to those submitting an abstract to present at the conference. In your application you will be asked to answer questions regarding your motivation for applying, and, for registration fee waivers, the reasons why your lab cannot fund your attendance and how your attendance will make a difference to your career. Application for financial support will not affect the outcome of your registration application.

*For some events, applications for Childcare Grants will still be done by email. Information about the grant will be sent out shortly after the abstract/motivation letter deadline. Please contact the event Conference Officer if you have any questions.

Selection

The scientific organisers will select the recipients of registration fee waivers during the abstract selection process for conferences and the participant selection process for courses. Results will be announced approximately 3-4 weeks before the event start date. Selection results do not impact your admission to the meeting. Registration fee waiver selection is based on your current work or study location, your motivation for applying, the reasons for needing financial support and the impact this event will have on your career. Childcare grants are allocated based on career stage, with priority given to early stage researchers.

Further details

Check out this list of external funding opportunities or get more information on attending the conference as an event reporter.

For further information about financial assistance please refer to the FAQ page.

Technical Requirements

Technical Requirements

Below you will find the software and technical requirements for this course. You will need admin rights to be able to install the software on your computer and we recommend you try this before the course. If you do not have admin rights, please contact your technical support team in advance to make sure the software can be installed.

Additional Software

The EMBL eCampus learning platform will be used to collaborate, communicate and network with all of the course participants. All participants will receive information on how to join shortly before the course. We recommend using Chrome, Safari or Mozilla Firefox browsers for eCampus. 

Zoom will be used for the live talks and Q&A sessions. More information will be provided closer to the start of the course.

While participating in the course, please make sure you have nothing else using your bandwidth. We recommend using a wired connection.

Virtual Participation Guidelines

Guidelines

Please do:

  • Use the event-specific hashtag #EMBLCRISPRcas during the event for any related tweets
  • Tweet unless the speaker specifically says otherwise
  • Be mindful of unpublished data
  • Be respectful in tone and content

Please don’t:

  • Share your login details to eCampus with others
  • Broadcast the conference to unregistered participants
  • Capture, transmit or redistribute data presented at the meeting unless presenter gives explicit consent
  • Use offensive language in your posts
  • Engage in rudeness or personal attacks

Additional information can be found in our Code of Conduct.

Health and well-being

It is important to stay healthy and move around, especially when you are attending an event virtually. We have put together a few coffee break stretches and yoga videos in eCampus for you to enjoy during the event.

How to ask questions

Questions during and after the talks can be asked in the live streaming platform. If time runs out or you think of a question later, you can use the EMBL eCampus forum or send a direct message to the speaker/trainer.

Time zone

The programme is planned based on the Europe/Berlin time zone, unless otherwise stated. As many virtual participants are attending from around the world, we do our best to accommodate as many time zones as possible when creating the programme. Please take your time zone into consideration when planning your attendance.

Sponsors

Media Partner

Sponsorship Opportunities

We offer a variety of event sponsoring possibilities, with the flexibility to select a set sponsorship package or combine individual sponsorship options to suit your event budget. Discounts are available for companies sponsoring multiple events at EMBL Heidelberg. View other conferences, or contact sponsorship@embl.de for further information.

If you are interested in becoming a media partner of this event, please visit our media partnerships webpage.

Date: 27 Sep - 4 Oct 2021

Location: Virtual


Deadline(s):

Application: Closed


Organisers:

  • Neil Humphreys
    EMBL Rome, Italy
    • Birgit Koch
      Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Germany

Edit