5 - What Can Genome Editing Be Used for?

Summary

Widespread use of a biotechnology often does not occur for years after it is first introduced to the scientific community. Yet CRISPR–Cas systems, unlike their predecessor technologies, have been adopted by laboratories all around the world with unprecedented speed and used to edit the genomes of virtually every living organism. One substantial predicament about powerful technologies is that they are often prone to manipulation by speculative agents who—knowingly or not—extrapolate unfounded notions of, and spread misinformation that oversells, what is technologically feasible. This chapter provides a comprehensive, yet nonexhaustive, survey of the current and prospective applications of genome-editing technologies that faithfully tracks primary scientific sources and, thus, is firmly grounded in a jurisprudence of scientific empiricism. The chapter examines applications of genome editing in myriad fields ranging from stem-cell research, pest-population control, viral diagnostics, biofuel production, and agriculture to synthetic biology, animal research, human therapeutics, epigenome editing, digital-data recording in living organisms, and more. This exposition underscores two points. First, genome-editing technologies are not mere tools for basic research, but rather epitomize prolific mines for future significant scientific breakthroughs. Second, every technology endowed with awe-inspiring powers should be handled responsibly and with respect.