Gene editing: the science, the technology, and the social and ethical issues it raises

Gene editing is a method for making precise and targeted cuts in DNA, allowing for highly specific changes to be ‘engineered’ in the genome of an organism.

It has made it easier to make targeted changes in the genomes of animals, plants and microorganisms, with huge potential benefits in many sectors including healthcare, agriculture and conservation. However, public understanding and any consensus on how this technology might be used lags behind the technological advances. 

To assist public understanding and discussion, the Royal Society Te Apārangi convened a multidisciplinary panel of experts, supported by a Māori reference group, to consider the social, ethical, cultural, legal and economic implications of gene-editing technologies for New Zealand. The reports identified significant deficiencies in the current framework that need to be addressed in the recently introduced Gene Technology Bill.

This talk will provide an overview of the science and technology of gene editing, the social, ethical and other issues it raises, the implications for New Zealand and some of the future challenges that lie ahead.

Emeritus Professor Barry Scott FRSNZ was Professor of Molecular Genetics at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University from 1985 to 2019. His lifetime research was focused on understanding symbiotic interactions between plants and microbes. He was awarded the New Zealand Association of Scientists Marsden Medal in 2013 and has served as Vice President of the Royal Society Te Apārangi and Head of the Institute of Molecular BioSciences at Massey University. He co-chaired the Royal Society Te Apārangi expert panel on gene editing.