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.