Learn CRISPR & Cas9
Protein Engineering
Helix BioMedical provides non-accredited educational programs in CRISPR and Cas9 protein engineering. Students get real research experience with GPU-accelerated computational tools, 8 comprehensive training documents, and optional home lab kits. Choose your research path and start engineering proteins from day one.
Your Online Lab Library
Every student receives access to 8 comprehensive training documents covering everything from CRISPR fundamentals to advanced protein engineering protocols.
CRISPR Gene Editing Fundamentals
Core concepts of CRISPR-Cas9, guide RNA design, and gene editing mechanisms
Laboratory Equipment & Supplies Guide
Complete list of equipment for your home lab kit with sourcing links
Protein Engineering Pipeline SOP
Step-by-step standard operating procedures for the computational pipeline
Disease Target Research
Research targets across Alzheimer's, cancer, CVD, and chronic diseases
Computational Biology & AI Tools
ESM-2, BoltzGen, OpenFold, GROMACS and how to use each tool
Molecular Biology Protocols
Lab protocols for PCR, gel electrophoresis, and protein purification
Public Datasets, KPIs & Standards
ADNI, TCGA, NHANES, and industry-standard performance indicators
Helix Platform Integration Guide
How to connect your pipeline results to the Helix analysis platform
Choose Your Research Path
Select a specialized track that matches your interests. Each path includes 6 structured modules, curated public datasets, and hands-on pipeline exercises.
Neurodegenerative Disease Track
Alzheimer's & Dementia
Explore protein targets involved in amyloid plaque formation and tau phosphorylation. Use ESM-2 to design Cas9 variants optimized for neuronal gene editing.
Training Modules:
- 1CRISPR Fundamentals + Guide RNA Design
- 2ADNI & GWAS Dataset Navigation
- 3Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) Analysis
- 4Tau Protein Engineering & Mutation Scoring
- 5Binder Design for BBB-Crossing Delivery
- 6Research Report & Presentation
DATASETS USED:
Cardiovascular Research Track
Heart Disease & CVD
Target proteins involved in cholesterol metabolism, inflammation, and blood clotting. Design therapeutic protein variants using the Framingham study data.
Training Modules:
- 1CRISPR Fundamentals + Delivery Systems
- 2NHANES & Framingham Data Analysis
- 3PCSK9 Protein Engineering
- 4Inflammatory Pathway Target ID
- 5Variant Scoring & Structure Prediction
- 6Clinical Application Research Paper
DATASETS USED:
Cancer Biology Track
Oncology & Immunotherapy
Target oncogenes, tumor suppressors, and immune checkpoint proteins. Engineer Cas9 variants for precision cancer gene editing applications.
Training Modules:
- 1CRISPR Fundamentals + Cas9 Variants
- 2TCGA & CCLE Dataset Exploration
- 3p53 Tumor Suppressor Engineering
- 4PD-L1 Checkpoint Protein Design
- 5De Novo Binder Generation (BoltzGen)
- 6Immunotherapy Target Presentation
DATASETS USED:
Protein Engineering Track
Advanced Computational Biology
Master the full protein engineering pipeline. Learn every tool from sequence analysis to structure prediction to binder design.
Training Modules:
- 1Protein Sequence Analysis & Databases
- 2ESM-2 Embeddings & Mutation Scoring
- 3OpenCRISPR Reference Library Deep Dive
- 4Molecular Dynamics Simulation Concepts
- 5BoltzGen Binder Design (iPAE/iPTM)
- 6ESMFold Structure Prediction & Validation
DATASETS USED:
Home Lab Kits
Start with free digital access and upgrade to a physical lab kit when you're ready for hands-on molecular biology.
Digital Explorer Kit
- Full API access to CRISPR pipeline
- 8 training documents (PDF)
- Swagger UI interactive docs
- Public dataset access guides
- Discord community access
- Weekly office hours (virtual)
Home Lab Starter Kit
- Everything in Digital Explorer
- Micropipette set (P20, P200, P1000)
- Agarose gel electrophoresis mini-kit
- UV transilluminator (portable)
- PCR primer design templates
- Lab notebook & safety glasses
- Sample buffers and reagents
Advanced Research Kit
- Everything in Home Lab Starter
- Mini centrifuge (6000 RPM)
- Heat block / dry bath incubator
- Protein purification columns
- SDS-PAGE gel kit (mini)
- Bradford assay reagents
- CRISPR-Cas9 plasmid samples
- Priority support channel
What Powers Your Research
Dedicated NVIDIA GPUs with 36GB of VRAM and 200GB of system memory running on an AMD Threadripper workstation -- all free for students.
ESM-2 (2.8B)
Protein language model
BoltzGen
Binder design
pgvector
Similarity search
36GB VRAM
GPU computing
ESMFold
3D structure prediction
OpenCRISPR
Reference database
Swagger UI
Interactive API docs
HTTPS
End-to-end encrypted
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly will my child be doing?
Students use a web-based API to run computational experiments on protein structures. They design and test modifications to CRISPR proteins using artificial intelligence models. The Digital Explorer track is entirely computer-based with no biological materials. The Home Lab and Advanced kits include safe, supervised wet-lab components.
Is this accredited education?
This is a non-accredited educational program focused on practical CRISPR and Cas9 research skills. While not a degree program, students gain real computational research experience using the same professional tools and public datasets that scientists use at universities and biotech companies. Many students use this experience to strengthen college applications and scholarship essays.
What skills will my child develop?
Students gain hands-on experience with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing concepts, computational protein engineering, bioinformatics, API development, data analysis, and scientific methodology. These skills are directly applicable to careers in biotechnology, medicine, pharmaceutical research, and data science.
Is there any cost?
The Digital Explorer Kit (computational pipeline access + training documents) is completely free. Optional physical lab kits are available for students who want hands-on molecular biology experience. All GPU computing resources are donated by Helix BioMedical as part of our 508(c)(1)(a) faith-based mission to advance education.
How is the data secured?
All API traffic is encrypted via HTTPS. The system processes publicly available protein sequences and structures from government-funded databases (NIH, TCGA). No personal, medical, or proprietary data is involved.
Does my child need prior experience?
No prior experience is required for the Digital Explorer Kit. Basic biology knowledge (AP Biology level) is helpful but not necessary. Our 8-document training series starts from fundamentals and builds progressively. Students with coding experience (Python, JavaScript) will find the API especially accessible.
Apply for Access
Complete the form below. Most requests are reviewed and approved within 24 hours. A notification is sent to our team immediately upon submission.