Future of RNAi Screening: Complementary Technologies and Advancements using CRISPR and LentiORFs

WEBINAR

Abstract

RNAi screening has made it possible to identify new genes, or gene networks, that are involved in a wide vari­ety of biological processes, including assays relevant to signal transduction, cell viability, cell morphology, protein localization and function, drug resistance, and responses of host cells to pathogens. As such, RNAi continues to help us gain critical insights into the mechanisms underlying human disease and accelerate the development of treatments for cancer and a host of other disorders. The intersection between RNAi screening and complementary approaches such as CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing has opened up new opportunities for assay development, screening and validation. The successful implementation of genome-editing technologies in several species suggests this will serve as an important and relevant tool for validation studies in numerous cell lines and model systems. Additionally, RNAi rescue experiments using LentiORFs serve an important role in further validating and boosting confidence of screened hits. As we continue to develop new strategies to improve genome-wide RNAi screening and validation, the significance of RNAi as a research tool will remain for many years to come.