Agenda

EuroFAANG RI Webinar: Gene Editing in Farmed Animals – Science, Applications and Responsible Innovation 

Session 1 — Scientific Advances in Gene Editing for Farmed Animals 
Focus: 

• Overview of latest tools: CRISPR updates, base/prime editing 
• Species-relevant progress: cattle, pigs, poultry, small ruminants 
• Examples from: GERONIMO (disease resistance), RUMIGEN (new traits & resilience), Gene-Switch (controllable traits) 
• Where science currently stands and what is realistically possible 

Session 2 — Practical Applications: Integrating Gene Editing into Breeding and Production Systems  
Focus: 

• Trait development pipelines 
• Technical readiness levels (TRL) 
• Integrating edited variants into genomic evaluations 
• What breeders and farmers would need to adopt gene-edited traits 
• Opportunities for welfare benefits and sustainability 

Session 3 — Responsible Innovation: Societal and Ethical and Regulatory Considerations 
Focus: 

• Societal acceptance: key findings from social science 
• Ethical frameworks for animal gene editing 
• Responsible innovation: transparency and communication 
• Regulatory context: including insights from EFSA’s NGT opinion (but not the main theme) 

Session 4 – Roundtable Discussion: “Responsible Gene Editing in Europe: What Should Be Prioritised in the Next 5–10 Years?” 
Focus:

• Which gene-edited traits look most promising in your species, considering feasibility, welfare benefit, sustainability impact, and likely societal acceptance? 
• What scientific or technical barriers still limit progress in developing gene-edited animals, and how could improved in vitro resources, standards,
  and EuroFAANG RI infrastructure help overcome them?
• How do societal values and ethical considerations influence what is viewed as responsible use of gene editing in animals, and how should we communicate this effectively to stakeholders and the public? 
• What are the main risks—scientific, environmental, or societal—associated with gene editing in farmed animals, and how should they be addressed? 
• From the EU perspective: How might the EU’s recent progress on plant NGT regulation influence or pave the way for future regulation of animal NGTs? 
• How should EFSA’s 2024 scientific opinion on NGT animals guide future risk assessment, monitoring, and regulatory design in Europe? 
• How can EuroFAANG RI contribute to a more coherent and future-proof European ecosystem for gene editing—through shared standards, data resources, cellular models, phenotyping, or training? 
• If Europe were to prioritise three concrete actions to enable responsible and impactful gene editing in animals over the next 5–10 years, what should they be?