Gene editing has gone from supervillain scheme to national security concern

Di Vincenzo Santo

(Da C4ISRNET – 19 dicembre 2019)

Washington. Gene editing is often thought of as a technique from a futuristic villain, best used to create killer mosquitoes or vaccine-resistant diseases. But there, tucked within the nearly 70-page National Security Strategy unveiled Dec. 18 by the Trump administration, was a short paragraph devoted to research and innovation. The document included the areas where the United States should prioritize investment to “maintain our competitive advantage.” And while the White House listed more conventional national security technologies, such as encryption and autonomy, the strategy also specifically mentioned gene editing. […] According to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the national security implications of gene editing include the protection of troops against infectious disease, mitigation of threats posed by irresponsible or nefarious use of biological technologies and enhanced development of new resources derived from synthetic biology. This last point includes novel chemicals, materials and coatings with useful and unique properties. […].

*Generale CA ris