CRISPulator: A Discrete Simulation Tool For Pooled Genetic Screens

Abstract

The rapid adoption of CRISPR technology has enabled biomedical researchers to conduct CRISPR-based genetic screens in a pooled format. The quality of results from such screens is heavily dependent on optimal screen design, which also affects cost and scalability. We present CRISPulator, a computational tool that simulates the impact of screen parameters on the robustness of screen results, thereby enabling users to build intuition and insights that will inform their experimental strategy. We illustrate its power by deriving non-obvious rules for optimal screen design.