CRISPR technology applications in basic science and therapeutic strategies
Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences at University of Copenhagen
This is a specialised course. This means that 80% of the seats are reserved to PhD students enrolled at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at UCPH and 20% og the seats are reserved to PhD students from other Danish Universities/faculties (except CBS).
The course is free of charge for PhD students at Danish universities (except Copenhagen Business School), and for PhD Students from NorDoc member faculties. All other participants must pay the course fee.
Anyone can apply for the course, but if you are not a PhD student at a Danish university, you will be placed on the waiting list until enrollment deadline. This also applies to PhD students from NorDoc member faculties. After the enrollment deadline, available seats will be allocated to applicants on the waiting list.
Learning objectives
A student who has met the objectives of the course will be able to:
1. Have a solid understanding of CRISPR based technologies.
2. Understand how CRISPR pooled screening approaches are used in research.
3. Design experiments using CRISPR based technologies to address biological or therapeutic questions.
4. Assess the advantages and limitations of different CRISPR screening technologies.
5. Have an understanding of therapeutic applications of CRISPR techniques
Content
The course will cover topics relevant for understanding how genome engineering approaches can be used in research and in therapy. The focus will be on CRISPR based screening technologies, but other genetic technologies will also be touched upon. The participants will be given a solid background on the basics of CRISPR and the many technologies that have been developed since its discovery. Topics covered include gene knockout approaches, base editing, prime editing, fitness and optical pooled screening approaches and technologies to validate results. Furthermore, the participants will work on a small group project focusing on using CRISPR techniques for tackling a specific scientific problem. The course will have presentations from both local and international experts spanning academia and industry.
Participants
The course is open to all PhD students interested in learning about CRISPR screening technologies. A basic understanding of biology is required but no prior knowledge on CRISPR is needed.
Relevance to graduate programmes
The course is relevant to PhD students from the following graduate programmes at the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences, UCPH:
Molecular Mechanisms of Disease
Cellular and Genetic Medicine
Clinical Cancer Research
PhD students from all graduate programmes are welcome to apply
Language
English
Form
Lectures, group work, presentations.
Course director
Jakob Nilsson, Professor, DCI and NNF CPR, jaknil@cancer.dk
Teachers
Sara Marie Ambjørn, Assistant Professor, DCI and NNF CPR
Bob Meeusen, Postdoc, DCI and NNF CPR
Filip Mihalic, Postdoc, DCI and NNF CPR
Dimitriya H. Garvanska, Staff scientist, DCI and NNF CPR
Fransisco Rivera Sanchez, MIT
Paula Rio, CIEMAT
Giorgia Galli, Novartis
Dates
10, 13 and 14 April 2026
Course location
Danish Cancer Institute, Strandboulevarden 49, 2100 Copenhagen
Registration
Please register before 1 March 2026
Seats to PhD students from other Danish universities will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and according to the applicable rules. Applications from other participants will be considered after the last day of enrolment.
Note: All applicants are asked to submit invoice details in case of no-show, late cancellation or obligation to pay the course fee (typically non-PhD students). If you are a PhD student, your participation in the course must be in agreement with your principal supervisor.