About this Research Topic
Genome editing and modification techniques are tools for sequence-specific changes in the plant genome. These techniques enable breeders to introduce single point mutations or new DNA sequences at a specific location in the plant genome thus for the first time enabling the precise modulation of traits of interest with unprecedented control and efficiency. The advent of genome editing has evoked enthusiasm but also controversy, creating regulatory and governance challenges worldwide.
In this scenario, this Research Topic aims at collecting articles on the latest advancements and future targets of genome editing, as well as contributions addressing the regulatory, social and socioeconomic aspects, the ethics, risk assessment, management, and biosafety researches. In particular, authors are invited to address one or more of the following topics:
1) The context - Genome editing in agriculture:
• Currently available techniques and their application in agriculture;
• The future of genome editing: What can we expect in the next 5 years;
• Potential targets: Which traits should be addressed to meet the global challenges?
2) Regulatory aspects for organisms developed with genome editing:
• Current biosafety regulations;
• Detection/enforcement;
• Alternative governance approaches.
3) Social and socioeconomic aspects:
• Responsible development and use of genome editing: Concepts, challenges and examples;
• Stakeholder and consumer perception and communication challenges ahead, e.g. similarities and differences between genetically modified and genome edited food;
• Possible social and socioeconomic impacts of different regulatory scenarios.
4) Ethics:
• Genome editing as a tipping point in the ethical debate about genetic modification of plants;
• The ethical justification of the precautionary principle with respect to risk issues of genome editing;
• Using labels to deal with consumer attitudes concerning genome edited plants and products thereof.
5) Risk assessment, management, and biosafety research:
• Are the established risk assessment strategies fit for purpose?
• Methods assessing untargeted changes in the genome;
• Triggers to guide appropriate and proportionate risk assessment.
In this scenario, this Research Topic aims at collecting articles on the latest advancements and future targets of genome editing, as well as contributions addressing the regulatory, social and socioeconomic aspects, the ethics, risk assessment, management, and biosafety researches. In particular, authors are invited to address one or more of the following topics:
1) The context - Genome editing in agriculture:
• Currently available techniques and their application in agriculture;
• The future of genome editing: What can we expect in the next 5 years;
• Potential targets: Which traits should be addressed to meet the global challenges?
2) Regulatory aspects for organisms developed with genome editing:
• Current biosafety regulations;
• Detection/enforcement;
• Alternative governance approaches.
3) Social and socioeconomic aspects:
• Responsible development and use of genome editing: Concepts, challenges and examples;
• Stakeholder and consumer perception and communication challenges ahead, e.g. similarities and differences between genetically modified and genome edited food;
• Possible social and socioeconomic impacts of different regulatory scenarios.
4) Ethics:
• Genome editing as a tipping point in the ethical debate about genetic modification of plants;
• The ethical justification of the precautionary principle with respect to risk issues of genome editing;
• Using labels to deal with consumer attitudes concerning genome edited plants and products thereof.
5) Risk assessment, management, and biosafety research:
• Are the established risk assessment strategies fit for purpose?
• Methods assessing untargeted changes in the genome;
• Triggers to guide appropriate and proportionate risk assessment.
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
