Chase Beisel

Research Interests

We are interested in understanding and engineering CRISPR-Cas systems. These prokaryotic immune systems are responsible for fending off selfish genetic elements such as plasmids or bacteriophages, yet their basic components have been co-opted as revolutionary tools for genome editing in bacteria and yeast through plants, animals, and even humans. We explore the diversity of these systems found in nature and how their basic components, mechanisms, and functions can be harnessed for a new generation of CRISPR technologies. Our group is based in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at North Carolina State University.

Courses Taught

BIT 495/595: CRISPR technologies
CHE 205: Chemical Process Principles
CHE 225: Introduction to Chemical Engineering Analysis
CHE 551: Biomolecular Engineering
CHE 596-023: Introduction to Synthetic Biology

Selected Publications 

Waller MC, Bober JR, Nair NU, Beisel CL. Toward a genetic tool development pipeline for host-associated bacteria. Curr Opin Microbiol (accepted).

Marshall R, Maxwell CS, Collins SP, Beisel CL, Noireaux V. Short DNA containing Chi sites enhances DNA stability and gene expression in E. coli cell-free transcription-translation systems. Biotechnol Bioeng (in press) pubmed article

Leenay RT & Beisel CL. Deciphering, communicating, and engineering the CRISPR PAM. J Mol Biol (2017) 429(2):177-91. pubmed articleLuo ML, Beisel CL. SBE Supplement: Synthetic Biology – Engineering Genes with CRISPR-Cas9. Chemical Engineering Progress. September 2106 issue. article

Luo ML, Jackson RN, Denny SR, Tokmina-Lukaszewska M, Maksimchuk KR, Lin W, Bothner B, Wiedenheft B, Beisel CL. The CRISPR RNA-guided surveillance complex in Escherichia coliaccommodates extended RNA spacers. Nucleic Acids Res (2016) 44(15):7385-94 pubmed article

Leenay RT, Maksimchuk KR, Slotkowski RA, Agrawal RN, Gomaa AA, Briner AE, Barrangou R^#, Beisel CL^#. Identifying and visualizing functional PAM diversity across CRISPR-Cas systems. Mol Cell (2016) 62(1):137-47 pubmed article

Luo ML, Leenay RT, Beisel CL. Current and future prospects for CRISPR-based tools in bacteria. Biotechnol Bioeng (2016) 113(5):930-43. pubmed article

Beisel CL & Afroz T. Rethinking the hierarchy of sugar utilization in bacteria. J Bacteriol (2015) 198(3):374-6 pubmed article

Sun, W, Ji W, Hall JM, Hu Q, Wang C, Beisel CL^#, Gu Z^#. Efficient delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 for genome editing via self-assembled DNA nanoclews. Angew Chem Int Ed (2015) 54(41):12029-33 pubmed article See comment in Chemical & Engineering News, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, WRAL news

Afroz T, Luo ML, Beisel CL. Impact of residual inducer on titratable expression systems. PLoS One (2015) 10(9):e0137421. pubmed article