Applying CRISPR Screen in Diabetes Research

The CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system has been one of the greatest scientific discoveries in the last decade. The highly efficient and precise editing ability of this technology is of great therapeutic value and benefits the basic sciences as an advantageous research tool. In recent years, forward genetic screens utilizing CRISPR technology have been widely adopted, with genome-wide or pathway-focused screens leading to important and novel discoveries. CRISPR screens have been used primarily in cancer biology, virology and basic cell biology; but they have rarely been applied to diabetes research. A potential reason for this is that diabetes related research can be more complicated, often involving cross-talk between multiple organs or cell types. Nevertheless, many questions can still be reduced to the study of a single cell type if assays are carefully designed. Here we review the application of CRISPR screen technology and provide perspective on how it can be used in diabetes research.