On Wednesday (15/1), the Institute for Biosystems and Bioengineering (IBB) at the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia (FTUI), specifically the Research Center for Biomass Valorization (RCBv), held another seminar on a fascinating topic: “Bioprospective of Indigenous CRISPR-Cas System for Gene Engineering and Diagnostic.” The colloquium featured Dr. Kenny Lischer, S.T., M.T., as the keynote speaker, and Prof. Dr. Ing. Misri Gozan, M.Tech., IPU, serving as the moderator.
Dr. Kenny Lischer presented the immense potential of the CRISPR-Cas system, particularly those derived from Indonesia’s indigenous microorganisms, for applications in bioprocesses and biomedicine. Originally discovered as a bacterial defence mechanism, CRISPR-Cas has evolved into a revolutionary genetic engineering tool.
With its rich biodiversity and extreme environmental conditions, such as those found in the Cisolong Hot Spring, Indonesia offers a promising field for developing new CAS enzymes. During his research, Dr. Kenny identified the bacterium Geobacillus kaustophilus, which possesses the Cas9 gene. This gene can be utilized for gene-editing purposes (CRISPR-Cas9), such as producing vaccines using microalgae, producing bioethanol with alcohol-tolerant yeast, and enhancing enzyme production through oxidative tolerance modification in E. coli.
Furthermore, CRISPR-dCas9 technology holds diagnostic potential, although challenges such as efficiency and adaptability to extreme conditions remain.
“The discovery of the Cas9 gene in Geobacillus kaustophilus from Cisolong Hot Spring opens up vast opportunities for CRISPR-Cas innovation. Let us leverage Indonesia’s biodiversity to advance science and global welfare,” concluded Dr. Kenny Lischer in his presentation.
Dr. Kenny Lischer, S.T., M.T., is an Assistant Professor with expertise in genetic engineering, biosensors, synthetic biology, and systems biology. He completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees at Universitas Indonesia before earning his doctorate from the Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Japan. With a strong academic background and extensive research experience, Dr. Kenny actively contributes to developing modern biological technologies for various scientific and industrial applications.
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Public Communications Office
Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia
