disease modeling applications, sOPTiKD/KO could allow the simultaneous targeting of several hiPSC lines to probe gene function in different genetic backgrounds. Such an approach could facilitate the identification of genetic disease modifiers and the discovery of novel potential drug targets in the context of personalized medicine. Multiplex inducible gene knockdown or knockout could also be used to model complex genetic disorders. Finally, sOPTiKD/KO could be easily transferred to other cell types amenable to genetic manipulation, including established cell lines and adult stem cells (Drost et al., 2015; Mandal et al., 2014), thus allowing functional studies in a multitude of systems. In conclusion, we expect that sOPTiKD/KO technologies will have a broad impact on our ability to study human development, physiology and disease.
