Targeted Infusion Project Development of a CRISPR Cas9 based gene editing technology curriculum at Tennessee State University

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) through Targeted Infusion Projects supports the development, implementation, and study of evidence-based, innovative models and approaches for improving the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may pursue science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) graduate programs and/or careers. This project seeks to incorporate cutting-edge gene editing technologies with a focus on CRISPR-Cas9 (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)-based genome editing into the curriculum at Tennessee State University (TSU) and train a generation of students well-versed in the principles and ethics of gene editing, who go on to become future agricultural policy makers, scientists, and agribusiness managers in keeping with the National Science Foundation’s mission to promote the progress of science.

The CRISPR-Cas9 course will (1) offer a dedicated course to train undergraduates in this cutting-edge technology, (2) increase the matriculation of students into agricultural and biological sciences graduate programs, and (3) provide a two-day workshop for faculty from other Historically Black Colleges or Universities to be trained on-site at TSU so that they can adapt the material to their own degree offerings. In addition, the results of the activities will be disseminated to the broader communities through publications, conference presentations, and via the TSU College of Agriculture social media channels and personal social media accounts of participating PIs and senior personnel.

This project will have significant impact on the education and research in the agricultural and biological science departments, and greatly improve students’ knowledge in emerging technologies, better preparing them for graduate study and the STEM workforce.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.