Opinion: Gene editing to stop Lyme disease: caution is warranted
I'm inherently cautious about genetically engineering wild species. but in some cases, it may be relatively safe, beneficial to human health, and worth the presumed risks.
When I first learned about Mice Against Ticks, I was shocked but also intrigued — shocked by the audacity of Kevin Esvelt’s plan to genetically engineer a mammal native to the United States, but curious about whether the project could prevent Lyme disease. The outcome of this radical intervention might influence how society views the acceptability of altering the genes of other animals, and perhaps even our own.
See related opinion: A community-guided genome editing project can fight Lyme disease
As an academic ecologist, I’ve, biochemical engineers have bold, new aspirations that include tinkering with the genes of wild species in order to , or even eradicate unwanted species from entire continents using a technique called .
