Eric Williams, PharmD
Law Partner
Barnes & Thornburg LLP, Indianapolis, IN
Gene editing is arguably the most revolutionary scientific breakthrough of this generation. The leading gene editing technology, known as the “CRISPR-Cas9 system”, was adapted in 2012/2013 for use in engineering various cell types, including crop and animal cells. The advanced breeding aspects of gene editing techniques such as CRISPR can quickly introduce desirable changes in the genetic profile of crops and animals that would take hundreds of years using traditional breeding techniques. Understanding the scientific and regulatory challenges of gene editing is essential for agriculture and nutrition because of the rapid acceleration of the technology and its entry to the marketplace.