Horizon Scanning

During the horizon scanning process, scientific publications are screened and evaluated to identify and analyze possible environmental effects of new technical developments and their applications in the field of genetic engineering/biotechnology considering the precautionary principle. The results of the horizon scanning are made available to the public in form of short summaries. It is an ongoing collection of current literature that does not claim to be complete and is continuously updated.
The current focus of the horizon scanning process can be found → here and a glossary with explanations of the most important terms can be found  → here

What is the available evidence for the range of applications of genome editing as a new tool for plant trait modification and the potential occurrence of associated off-target effects: a systematic map

This is a systematic review that provides an overview of publications in which genome editing was used to change the genome of plants and investigates the occurrence of off-target effects (from January 1996 to May 2018 inclusive). Applications of genome editing techniques (CRISPR/Cas, TALENs, ZNF, meganucleases, ODM and base editors) on agriculturally relevant plants, as […]

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A CRISPR–Cas9 gene drive targeting doublesex causes complete population suppression in caged Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes

Scientists at the Imperial College London have developed a CRISPR/Cas-based gene drive in Anopheles gambiae that aims to modify a gene called doublesex. Doublesex plays an important role during embryonic development: it is crucial for whether mosquitoes develop as females or as males. The result of the change mediated by the gene drive is the […]

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Creating a functional single-chromosome yeast.

The genome of the model yeast organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae consists of 16 chromosomes. Using CRISPR/Cas9 scientists created a yeast strain that contains a single chromosome that was generated by successive end-to-end fusions of the 16 chromosomes and by deletions of the centromeres. It is the first synthetically generated yeast strain that consists of one linear […]

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