# Discussion/conversation/assistance on CRISPRa

**URL:** <https://forum.hackteria.org/t/discussion-conversation-assistance-on-crispra/999>\
**Category:** Kitchen\
**Created:** [September 11, 2020, 10:54am UTC](https://forum.hackteria.org/t/discussion-conversation-assistance-on-crispra/999 "2020-09-11T10:54:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![zeitkunst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/45deac/32.png) [@zeitkunst](https://forum.hackteria.org/u/zeitkunst)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 10:54am UTC](https://forum.hackteria.org/t/discussion-conversation-assistance-on-crispra/999/1 "2020-09-11T10:54:18Z")

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Hello there, I’ve been a long-time lurker and now a first-time poster!

I’m currently a Biofriction artist-in-residence at Kersnikova Institute/Kapelica Gallery. I’m in the early stages of working on a project that aims to enable testicular Leydig cells to overproduce estrogen instead of testosterone. We have been looking a number of methods of doing this, including CRISPRa. The idea is to use CRISPRa to activate the promoter for the aromatase gene, CYP19a, which should enable the transformation of produced testosterone to estradiol. We’ve been exploring different kits, different transfection possibilities, and ways to design and produce the sgRNA. But we’re a bit stuck even with all of the research we’ve done, and in fact, are a bit lost on the sgRNA design and best (read also: cheapest) ways of getting the sgRNA/Cas9 system into the cells. I’ve watched lots of YouTube videos about the basics and some of the research of CRISPRa, but have had a hard time understanding the sgRNA design tools and how to choose among all of the various ways of doing CRISPRa. Basically I’m hoping for a tutorial on how to design a CRISPRa experiment from scratch; but if that doesn’t exist, then I guess hopefully I’ll be able to write one at the end of all of this 🙂

Does anyone have experience with CRISPRa? Or have contacts of people that we could potentially talk to? We’d be open to more formal collaboration possiblities too with interested scientists/labs/groups/people.

Let me know if you have any questions; feel free to post here or contact me directly.

Thanks for any assistance!

Adriana

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**Author:** ![dusjagr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.hackteria.org/dusjagr/32/24_2.png) [@dusjagr](https://forum.hackteria.org/u/dusjagr)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2021, 10:09am UTC](https://forum.hackteria.org/t/discussion-conversation-assistance-on-crispra/999/2 "2021-06-16T10:09:12Z")

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This has been quite a while sitting here now… sorry for late reply.

mbe we can @neoangel and @Gnip involved.

> [@Gonads-on-a-Chip : Organ cultures of reproductive tissues](https://forum.hackteria.org/t/gonads-on-a-chip-organ-cultures-of-reproductive-tissues/1313):
>
> Taking one of those [Ten Directions Forward](https://forum.hackteria.org/t/ten-directions-forward-thgap-transgenic-human-genome-alternatives-project-psyfert/) to the next level of experimentation and research these days… We had already many years of experimentation on cell & animal culture devices in microfluidic prototypes, from Worm-on-a-Chip to other PDMS based tardigrade space exploration analogues. Or the most recent developments of @paulapin24 wiht her suitcase of [Trans.Organ.on.a.Chip](http://paulapin.net/transorgansonachip/) Reading this excellent recent review on “Engineered reproductive tissues”, you can [download the f…](https://mega.hackteria.org/index.php/s/DJa5WPTJgSoywHq)