CRISPR Screens in Functional Genomics: Identify Novel Drug Targets for Oncological Diseases

The advent of CRISPR-based screening technologies has fundamentally transformed functional genomics, enabling researchers to interrogate the cancer genome at unprecedented scale and resolution. Unlike traditional candidate-gene approaches, genome-wide CRISPR screens allow unbiased, high-throughput identification of genes that drive tumour survival, proliferation, therapy resistance, and immune evasion — making them one of the most powerful platforms available for oncology drug target discovery.From pooled loss-of-function screens using CRISPR knockout to transcriptional modulation via CRISPRa and CRISPRi, and the emerging potential of base editing and prime editing screens, the field is rapidly expanding its capacity to map oncological vulnerabilities with functional precision. When coupled with single-cell sequencing, organoid models, in vivo systems, and computational frameworks, CRISPR screens are yielding a new generation of high-confidence drug targets — including synthetic lethal partners, metabolic dependencies, epigenetic regulators, and immune checkpoint modulators.This Research Topic brings together original research, systematic reviews, and methods articles that advance the use of CRISPR screening across diverse cancer types. We welcome contributions exploring screen design and analysis, the identification of synthetic lethal interactions and tumour-specific vulnerabilities, epigenetic and non-coding RNA targets, metabolic dependencies, drug resistance mechanisms, and the role of CRISPR screens in immuno-oncology. Studies integrating CRISPR screen data with multi-omic datasets, as well as work on computational pipelines for hit prioritisation and target deconvolution, are equally encouraged.Cancer remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and conventional approaches to target identification are increasingly insufficient to address tumour heterogeneity and adaptive resistance. CRISPR functional genomics offers a systematic path from genomic information to druggable biology — one that is both scalable and mechanistically informative. By consolidating cutting-edge findings in this space, this Research Topic aims to accelerate the translation of CRISPR-based discoveries into meaningful clinical advances in oncology. Topic editors: Zhenyu Nie, Jiatong Xiao Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82823/crispr-screens-in-functional-genomics-identify-novel-drug-targets-for-oncological-diseases