Establishing an immersive educational experience in human gene editing

The transformative power of gene editing demands a corresponding transformation in its instruction. While commercial kits and curriculum-aligned tools have become available, they often offer a fragmented understanding, omitting both the mechanistic nuances and the ethical complexities that define this field. The Gene Editing Institute’s (GEI) education program, Gene Editing 360™, mission is to empower, inspire, and engage the next generation of scientists committed to advancing gene editing technology. GEI has developed an immersive, ethics-driven educational model anchored in real-world laboratory practices, including its hallmark tool, CRISPR in a Box™. Here, we articulate key lessons learned in providing equitable, impactful gene editing education for our community and describe how our Learning Lab serves as a scalable, inclusive template for global adoption. Our Learning Lab program has reached over two thousand students and feedback from students and educators has been overwhelmingly positive. We have been able to track this model by providing an internally reviewed anonymous self-assessment after each class to gauge how students were impacted in the Learning Lab. We demystify the scientific and social implications surrounding this technology, through direct interactions with students, especially those from underserved populations. Herein, we share our Gene Editing 360™ program, offering a set of guidelines to ensure a more comprehensive, foundational experience in gene editing.