Dixie Forum to host scientist in lecture on biotech advancements

In its next installment, Dixie State University’s weekly lecture series Dixie Forum will explore biotechnological advancements taking place at the Innovative Genomics Institute. The institute’s Science Communication Specialist Dr. Kevin Doxzen will present on how CRISPR genome editing technology will completely reshape modern medicine. The 50-minute lecture will take place at noon on Sept. 11 in the Dunford Auditorium, located in the Browning Resource Center on the Dixie State campus. Admission is free, and the public is encouraged to attend. In his Dixie Forum presentation, “CRISPR: A Revolution in Genome Editing,” Doxzen will discuss how bacteria develop specialized immune systems to protect themselves because they are under constant attack. Scientists nicknamed these immune systems CRISPR, and upon further examination, discovered CRISPR proteins might have the potential to not only improve the health in bacteria but in humans as well. Earning his bachelor’s in biophysics from Johns Hopkins University, Doxzen went on to receive his doctorate in biophysics from the University of California, Berkeley and worked in Dr. Jennifer Doudna’s lab. The Doudna lab is credited for co-discovering the CRISPR genome editing technology and continues to make further advancements in this growing field. The Dixie Forum is a weekly lecture series designed to introduce the St. George and DSU communities to diverse ideas and personalities while widening their worldviews via a 50-minute presentation. The next installment of Dixie Forum will feature DSU Assistant Professor of Studio Art McGarren Flack presenting on digital painting at noon on Sept. 18 in the Dunford Auditorium. For more information about Dixie State University’s Dixie Forum series, visit humanities.utahtech.edu/the-dixie-forum.

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