Practical CRISPR-Cas course for plant breeders

WUR-Plant Breeding, together with Plantum, is organizing a CRISPR-Cas course for employees of plant breeding companies. This comprehensive course will provide participants with in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience in the field of plant gene editing as well as in cisgenesis.  The course is composed of three parts:

1. Practical: Participants will perform the different steps in making targeted mutations in plants, starting from designing CRISPR-Cas constructs to making and detecting mutations in plants.
2. Lectures: These will cover CRISPR-Cas essentials, gene editing, intellectual property rights, EU regulation, and cisgenesis.
3. Case Studies: Participants will design strategies for novel breeding technologies in their crop of choice and for a trait of choice.

By the end of the course, each participant should have a clear overview of the different steps needed to make targeted mutations in plants or add genes via cisgenesis. They should also be able to evaluate whether CRISPR-Cas or cisgenesis is a good choice for their crop and to understand whether CRISPR-Cas can be carried out within their company or if outsourcing would be better.

Course Details:

Dates: October 15-22, 2025 (no activities during the weekend)

Location: Wageningen University & Research campus

Funding: Sponsored by Kennis op Maat, part of Top sector Horticulture & Starting Materials, aiming at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and co-funded by Plantum

Fee: €1500 per person for SME employees; If there is still room, employees from large seed companies are also welcome at €3000 per participant

Capacity: Maximum of 20 participants

Please note that only companies with a location in The Netherlands or the European Union can participate in the course.

The course fee includes lab costs, lectures, coffee/tea, and one social dinner. Lunches and overnight stays are not covered. Acceptance will be on the ‘first come, first served’ basis, with priority given to SME employees. Lab experience is helpful but not required. During the course participants will work in groups of two.

For more information about the course content, please contact Henk J. Schouten (henk.schouten@wur.nl) or Jan Schaart (jan.schaart@wur.nl) at WUR.

Interested?

Please fill out this form to register. Please register before September 25^th 2025.

Cancellation of registration is possible free of charge before October 1^st. If you cancel after that date or don’t attend the course without cancellation you will be sent an invoice for the full fee of the course.

If you have questions about the registration, please contact Monique van Vegchel (m.vanvegchel@plantum.nl).