What if tomatoes grew deeper roots, so that they could thrive in dry regions? Would we be able to better feed the increasing global population? The CRISPR-Cas technology that enables such adjustments is much more precise than the typical selective breeding method, and the adjustments are comparable to spontaneous natural changes. But is this technology, for which many significant principles were discovered by Wageningen scientists, actually safe? Who will benefit from it? Where do you see opportunities for its use?
“The CRISPR system holds great promise for helping to feed the world. Specifically, we can use it to improve plants. And that can be done much more precisely than with typical selective breeding, so that only minimal changes are necessary”, says John van der Oost. The Wageningen Professor of Microbiology has made a significant contribution to unravelling the mechanism behind the CRISPR-Cas system, which enables bacteria to render viruses harmless (see box). CRISPR-Cas is used in biotechnology to improve the traits of food crops and in the production of biofuels and medications via micro-organisms. Furthermore, it has a practical use in medicine: improving the health of patients with certain genetic illnesses.