A new COVID-19 testing system that harnesses CRISPR gene-editing technology takes significantly less time to report results -- roughly 40 minutes, compared to the 4-to-6-hour turnaround with currently used tests. The scientists developing the CRISPR test are from UCSF and Mammoth Biosciences, a startup co-founded and advised by molecular and cell biology professor Jennifer Doudna, one of CRISPR's co-inventors. On Thursday, the researchers published a second study demonstrating the test's capabilities in the largest-yet sample of real patients in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Biotechnology. Speaking of how easy and self-contained the test is, compared to others currently used, Charles Chiu, associate director of the UCSF clinical microbiology laboratory and the scientist leading the study with Mammoth, says: "I can run it now myself at home. ... What we really want to develop is something like a handheld, pocket-sized device using disposable cartridges" that nonexperts could use. He says they plan to submit the test for FDA approval next week. Stories on this topic have appeared in more than 100 sources around the world, including CNET, KPIX Online, and KTVU--link to video.