CRISPR and Food Production – Promise and Limitations

• In Event: Transgressing the Intersection of Science and Food I

Abstract

The discovery in 2012 of a new form of DNA modification based on the CRISPR method created a new field of research and opened new possibilities for genetic manipulation. One particular area was the changing of gene expression in crop plants and domestic animals. This paper will briefly examine the history of this development and the debates which it has generated. In some respects these debates resemble previous ones about GMOs (genetically modifies organisms). But the sophistication of the new method makes the analogy limited, and actually opens new questions about approaches to food production and safety, and related ethical issues. This paper will discuss different narratives from various groups participating in these debates, including perspectives from research, policy-making, and social studies, as well as public concerns.

Author

• Val J Martin, Illinois Institute of Technology