Genetic engineering

In a historic procedure surgeons have, for the first time, transplanted a genetically modified pig heart into a living human. The patient is still alive, has not rejected the organ and is being monitored at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Scientists have used the CRISPR gene-editing system to produce litters of mice that are 100 percent either male or female. The technique could help prevent the unnecessary culling of animals of unwanted sex in agriculture or scientific experiments.

Scientists have successfully used CRISPR and phages to edit the genome of bacteria in the gut microbiome of live mice for the first time. The breakthrough could help manipulate the ratio between different species to treat a range of health problems.

Although insects may ruin crops, the use of traditional pesticides can definitely harm the environment. Spanish scientists have now developed a possible alternative to those chemicals, in the form of plants that produce insect-confusing pheromones.

The CRISPR gene-editing system is built on a bacterial defense mechanism that allows scientists to make precise edits to DNA. Now scientists at MIT have discovered a new class of enzymes called OMEGAs that perform a similar function, perhaps better.

A new company called Colossal plans to revive the woolly mammoth and reintroduce the species to the Arctic. And it isn’t meant to be just a tourist-trap Jurassic Park either – the aim is to restore a long-lost ecosystem to help fight climate change.

The CRISPR gene-editing system is usually associated with the Cas9 protein, but that’s not the only option. Stanford scientists have now developed a CRISPR tool called CasMINI, using a much smaller protein that's able to enter human cells more easily.

While you might think that it's best to keep crops fungus-free, there are some fungi that actually help plants grow. In order to observe that relationship, scientists have created plants with roots that turn red when infiltrated by beneficial fungi.

Food security is a major potential problem, especially in the face of climate change. New research has shown that manipulating RNA in plants can drastically boost the amount of food they produce, and make them more resistant to drought conditions.

Sugarcane is a key food crop, but its large environmental impact leaves plenty of room for improvement. Unfortunately it’s tricky and time-consuming to breed new varieties, but now researchers have used CRISPR gene-editing to do so more easily.

The CRISPR gene-editing tool has been successfully used in space for the first time. Researchers onboard the International Space Station have edited colonies of yeast to study how they repair DNA damage, which could one day help protect astronauts.

Japanese researchers have developed a new type of cholera vaccine by genetically modifying rice to carry a non-toxic cholera antigen. The vaccine needs no refrigeration with the rice simply ground into a powder, mixed with water and consumed.