It is also worth noting that TALENs were implemented for genome editing [0] before CRISPR/Cas9 [1]. And that there are ongoing trials in human subjects that use

It is also worth noting that TALENs were implemented for genome editing [0] before CRISPR/Cas9 [1]. And that there are ongoing trials in human subjects that use TALENs for editing instead of Cas9 [2]. Though I agree with a sibling comment that we might not find another system with the same advantages as CRISPR/Cas9 (ie, only having to generate RNAs to engineer site specificity, rather than the more intensive task of generating a protein coding sequence like you do with TALENs). [0] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21179091 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21179091 [1] https://www.broadinstitute.org/what-broad/areas-focus/project-spotlight/crispr-timeline https://www.broadinstitute.org/what-broad/areas-focus/projec... [2] http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/09/new-gene-editing-treatment-might-help-treat-rare-disorder-hints-first-human-test?utm_campaign=news_weekly_2018-09-07&et_rid=414499691&et_cid=2356431 http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/09/new-gene-editing-trea...