Korean Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and a research team from Korea University have developed a next-generation doping analysis technology using gene-editing technology.
On the 16th, Seong Chang-min, the principal researcher at KIST Doping Control Center, announced that his team, in collaboration with Professor Park Hee-ho from Korea University’s Department of Biotechnology, has developed a high-throughput multi-gene and cell doping analysis method (HiMDA) based on CRISPR-Cas gene editing.
Recently, doping technology to enhance athletic performance has been advancing rapidly. Particularly, ‘gene and cell doping,’ which manipulates bodily functions using genetic or cell therapies, poses a serious threat to the fairness of sports. Gene-based drugs like Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF-I) and Erythropoietin (EPO), which can maximize strength and endurance, have a high potential for misuse as performance-enhancing means among athletes in some sports.
Currently, it is challenging to distinguish externally introduced genetic material with the existing protein-level doping analysis methods, as they are structurally identical to bodily proteins. There is a significant need for new analysis platforms that can identify external genes at the DNA level.
The analysis method developed by the research team amplifies target genes directly from blood without complex sample preprocessing and then applies CRISPR-Cas gene-editing technology to swiftly and precisely detect the presence of external genes.
In their experiments, the research team injected representative gene doping substances such as human Growth Hormone (hGH, EPO, IGF-I) into laboratory mouse models, and succeeded in accurately detecting external genes at the level of 2.5 molecules within 90 minutes using as little as 5 microliters of blood sample, less than half a drop of blood.
Seong Chang-min, the principal researcher, stated, “This research presents a practical solution that can contribute to overcoming the limitations of existing technologies and uphold sports ethics and fairness by applying gene-editing technology to doping detection,” adding, “It has great potential to evolve into a core foundation for precision medicine and gene diagnostics in the future.”
Reference material:
Science Advances (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adv7234