Tree vaccines and gene-edited butterflies among biotechnology projects funded by UK ‘invention agency’
Summary
The UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria) is funding 14 biotechnology projects to help wild plants and animals adapt faster to climate change. These projects include gene-editing butterflies and speeding up tree reproduction, with the goal of protecting native species like oak trees and bumblebees.Key Facts
- Aria has launched a £54 million accelerated adaptation program to develop new biotech tools for wildlife.
- Fourteen projects will share an initial £30 million in grants over two years.
- Projects involve gene-editing techniques like CRISPR to improve species’ resistance to threats.
- Examples include gene-editing endangered swallowtail butterflies to resist insecticides and speeding up oak tree growth.
- The program aims to complement traditional conservation methods with precision biotechnology.
- Aria is publicly funded and supports high-risk tech research, including controversial areas like geoengineering.
- The program follows global debates on the use of synthetic biology for conservation, with ethical guidelines in place.
- No experimental biotech solutions will be released into the wild during the current program phase.
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