Customer Story

By: Stephanie DeMarco

Genome engineering may sound like something out of science fiction, but every day, scientists in labs all over the world are using it to improve human health. One of the most valuable tools of genome engineering, called CRISPR, started out as a defense system for bacteria. CRISPR is now one of the world’s most powerful new technologies. Like a set of scissors, the proteins derived from bacteria that make up CRISPR technology make precise cuts in DNA. They can cut out a mutant gene or even integrate new healthy sequences to replace those that cause disease.
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The ability to change genetic material so easily with CRISPR has revolutionized entire fields of science – so much, in fact, that the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for its discovery. Now, thanks to CRISPR, genome engineering is accessible to scientists everywhere from those performing basic research in the lab to those in the clinic. Rare genetic disorders that previously had no cure, can finally be cured. Drought and disease-resistant crops can be engineered to feed the world’s growing population. And, the most elusive and difficult to study creatures can finally be investigated.
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With its exciting potential to improve human health, scientists and clinicians have been eager to implement genomic engineering through CRISPR into their research. With expertise at the intersection of biology and engineering, a Redwood City, CA-based biotech company, uses machine learning and automation to develop cutting-edge CRISPR technology that scientists can use at any stage of life science research - from the lab bench to clinical trials.

This leading biotech company provides scientists with all of the tools they need to take advantage of CRISPR. Through the development of specialized engineered cell lines, synthetic RNA, and bioinformatics resources, they help scientists quickly and seamlessly add CRISPR genome engineering to their scientific toolkit – thus accelerating the pace of scientific discovery.
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“Our mission is to develop genome engineering tools and techniques to eventually help out in gene therapy,” says a representative from the company’s lab management team. “We have bioinformatics tools and reagents for CRISPR to ultimately help solve so many health issues that we have in the world.”
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To accelerate their development of genome engineering technology, the biotechnology company has taken advantage of Quartzy’s many laboratory management features – especially, the ability to have all of their ordering information in one place.
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When the company was small, people were using spreadsheets or emails to keep track of orders, but the process was not only confusing and time-consuming, but also unreliable. “But with Quartzy,” she says, “it saves so much time having everything in one place.”

In addition to the many hours of time it saves her team every week, Quartzy has become a centralized communication hub for all of the company’s team members.
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“I'm able to communicate through Quartzy with everyone instead of having to send emails or Slack messages,” she says. “That's something very important for me. It keeps everyone on the same page.”
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Quartzy has made requesting and ordering lab supplies much more efficient, making the entire lab more productive. The scientists love Quartzy too because they spend a lot less time searching for and requesting the supplies they need for critical experiments  – giving them more time and energy to devote to designing new genome engineering tools.
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With the centralized ordering and time-saved by using Quartzy’s lab productivity system, the biotech company is advancing genome engineering technology for scientists all over the world – in turn, accelerating the improvement of human health globally.