WSU-inspired national gene-editing task force begins work

Jon Oatley, professor and director of WSU’s Center for Reproductive Biology, recognized early on that using genetic technologies on food animals presents social and ethical challenges that cannot be solved through research alone. In 2020, Oatley brought forward the idea of gathering experts to tackle these issues, and this week the national task force on gene-editing in livestock had its first meeting. Researchers estimate that agricultural output will need to increase by 60% to keep up with the population growth in the next 30 years, while at the same time dealing with shrinking availability of critical resources including water and grazing lands. WSU scientists are already at work on these problems with the support of the Functional Genomics Initiative (FGI), a five-year investment from the university totaling nearly $5 million. Starting in 2016 as part of the Grand Challenges, the Initiative has helped build core infrastructure and a cohort of faculty to drive research in gene editing technology as well as address social and ethical approaches to gene-enhanced food animals.

“The potential for gene editing to dramatically boost food security globally and reduce the burden on natural resources is enormous, but it must be done carefully and ethically,” said Peter McPherson, president of the Association of Public Land Grant Universities, which established the task force together with the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges.

The research results are published in this article.

Read the full article at WSU News.