Genome Editing and Biological Weapons
Item Details
Title
Genome Editing and Biological Weapons
Topics
Assesses the risk of recent advances in genome editing technologies to enabling development of biological weapons.
Date
2022
Conclusions
Concludes that the risk of misuse of CRISPR is high, while the risk of misuse of TALEN and ZFN is medium to low. Notes that accessibility and ease of use of CRISPR make it particularly appealing to weaponeers. However, tacit knowledge, technical barriers, and social norms still pose significant hurdles to overcome for most actors. Evaluates the risks inherent in modification of the genomes of micrroganisms, vector organisms, and humans.
Source
Paris, K. Genome Editing and Biological Weapons: Assessing the Risk of Misuse. Springer Nature Switzerland. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21820-0. Accessed March, 2024.
Citation
“Genome Editing and Biological Weapons,” Collection of Biothreat Risk Assessments (COBRA), accessed October 16, 2024, https://cobrabiosecurity.org/items/show/578.