LeMieux, J. (2026, January 16). UC san diego launches ARPA-H project to 3D bioprint patient-specific human livers. GEN – Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News. https://www.genengnews.com/topics/translational-medicine/uc-san-diego-launches-arpa-h-project-to-3d-bioprint-patient-specific-human-livers/

This article is about a bay area biochemist who has started a new company with the goal of researching gene-editing on human embryos. The company, which has raised over $30 million through funding, is focused on preventing genetic disorders pre-birth. Their effort is to determine the safety of genetic engineering on human embryos to prevent devastating genetic conditions for future infants. This research raises significant ethical, legal, and social implications on biotechnological innovations such as CRISPR, which is used to alter DNA in the detected makeup of a genetic disorder such as Huntington’s or cystic fibrosis.  If successful, the next step in the research is experimenting on non-human primates, however this raises challenges regarding expenses, danger of diseases and viruses such as the simian herpes virus, public relations, and legality. While editing embryos is not federally illegal, laws vary by state, and implanting genetically modified embryos during clinical trials is prohibited. The article emphasizes the significant ethical and legal responsibility of this research, requiring strict and strong oversight before advancing forward. 

This article connects to environmental science as it deals with the effect of advances in technology on human populations and ecosystems. It also raises ethical concerns regarding animal testing, as well as human intervention in natural systems. Furthermore, preventing genetic diseases before birth could lower long term healthcare usage, as people who suffer from disease rely upon extensive medical care. Overall, I feel ambivalent to the ideas depicted in this article. While I think overcoming serious genetic disorders is important, there could be serious ethical concerns brought up. Because long term effects remain unknown, I think this type of research should be carefully handled with strict rules and regulations in place. 

Kay, C. (2025, September 16). AI-powered CRISPR could lead to faster gene therapies, stanford medicine study finds. News Center. https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2025/09/ai-crispr-gene-therapy.html

This article is about an artificial-intelligence tool called CRISPR-GPT, that is being developed by researchers at Stanford medicine to accelerate gene-editing experiments. CRISPR is a powerful gene-editing technology that is used to edit genomes and develop therapies for genetic diseases like Alzheimer’s. Training on the tool to design an experiment is time consuming and complicated, but now AI is expanding access to CRISPR technology. CRISPR-GPT acts as a kind of co-pilot for genetic-engineering by helping researchers design experiments, analyze data, and troubleshoot errors, even if they have little to no prior experience. Acting as a lab partner, it guides both beginners and experts through CRISPR experiments, all while predicting errors and suggesting fixes. The AI system processed 11 years worth of data and expert discussions, and thus is able to speed up gene therapy development utilizing knowledge on par to that of an expert scientist. Thus, CRISPR-GPT speeds up development of gene therapies for diseases such as cancer and genetic disorders. This tool includes safeguards to prevent unethical misuse, such as editing embryos or creating poisons. It’s being designed to expand into other biomedical areas, including stem cell research and molecular pathway analysis.

Ai combined with genetic engineering is now saving lives. I think this reveals humans’s innovative progress and the developing relationship between humans and technology. This article reflects another way we are implementing AI to improve society and medicine, but what risks does it pose? We’re entering a massively crazy age where we can see absolutely unprecedented gains in medical research and cancer, but AI development also comes with danger and ethical concerns, such as people editing their kids, or turning on and off genes whenever they want to. For medical purposes it’s good, but there will certainly be some abuses and poisons emerging. Furthermore, AI doctors that can be basically free for everyone would be a total gamechanger; Doctors used to get annoyed about people googling symptoms and going on wrong paths, but now theoretically people could see AI physicians and get counsel and care without even talking to a doctor. If everyone knew and could access what doctors know, and if they actually followed the medical advice, it would make a huge impact on the population’s overall health. In conclusion, by expanding access to the gene-editing process, this tool reduces the resources, time, and energy required for repeated experiments, which aligns with environmental science concepts such as sustainable resource management and technological solutions to human problems like disease. 

Bernstein, J. (2025, November 18). Scientists engineer first fully synthetic brain tissue model. News. https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2025/11/17/scientists-engineer-first-fully-synthetic-brain-tissue-model

This article describes a scientific breakthrough in which scientists at UC Riverside have successfully created a functional brain-like tissue without the use of any animal-derived materials or coatings. The research team designed a porous 3D-scaffold made from polyethylene-glycol, or PEG, which is a chemically-neutral polymer that living cells typically don’t attach to. By constructing PEG into a structure that supports oxygen and nutrient flow, the scaffold allows donated brain cells to grow and form functional neural networks, resembling the structure and activity of the human brain. PEG works better than animal derived coatings, which are not ideal, as rodent brains differ physiologically and genetically from human brains. It also reduces the need for animals in neurological research, which aligns with the FDAs efforts to decrease animal testing. This development presents significant new implications for neurological research and drug testing. It also provides a stable model for researching neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s, traumatic brain injuries, and strokes.

This article connects to environmental science because it demonstrates sustainable and humane alternatives to animal testing, which reduces our ecological impact and aligns with sustainable and ethical resource use. By replacing animal-derived models with synthetic tissues, researchers can decrease any environmental and ethical costs of biomedical and neurological research. It also presents a major technological and medical advancement, which ties into the Demographic Transition Model: as healthcare and technology improves, death rates decline and populations live longer, healthier lives. I think this development is exciting and innovative, as it could really revolutionize how neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and strokes, are studied and treated, and it could also reduce reliance on animal testing, all while improving the accuracy and safety of drug testing and development. It demonstrates themes of sustainability and ethics, as well as technological solutions to human challenges and issues, such as disease. This really shows how scientific and medical advancements can improve human health while using fewer biological resources, which aligns with the environmental focus on sustainability and efficiency. 

Song, S. (2025, November 21). Bay area scientist launches new company with sights on gene-edited babies. KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco; KTVU FOX 2. https://www.ktvu.com/news/bay-area-scientist-launches-new-effort-toward-gene-edited-babies

This article describes researchers at UC-SanDiego developing advanced 3D bioprinting technology to create personalized human-livers using a patient’s own cells. The goal of this research is to address the scarcity of donor-organs and help patients with liver diseases receive transplants quicker. Many people die waiting for a transplant. As a solution, 3D bioprinted livers would provide a safe and quicker alternative to traditional transplants, by eliminating the need for donor organs and lifelong immunosuppressant drugs, and meeting the demand without requiring an organ donor. This could potentially save more than 1200 lives of patients currently on the transplant waitlist. This technology takes seconds instead of hours to rapidly fabricate biological tissues with complex multicellular structures. It uses digitally controlled light patterns to solidify cell-laden materials layer by layer, allowing it to precisely recreate the fine microarchitecture of living-tissues. Together with AI, advanced 3D-bioprinting produces intricate networks of blood vessels. This process could save thousands of lives, lower healthcare-costs, and improve long-term outcomes for patients suffering from chronic liver disease, restoring their health and quality of life.

This article is another example of medical technological advances. In addition, this relates to environmental science as it connects to sustainability, technological innovation, and resource scarcity and adaptation. Organ transplant shortages can be considered a resource limitation, with donor organs being a limited resource. This is similar to many issues studied in environmental science, such as limited water sources, fossil fuels, and food sources. Just like how scientists search for solutions to adapt to these issues, producing advanced 3D bioprinted livers on demand is an example of an adaptation to a limited resource. This tech could also reduce healthcare costs, which connects to the economy. I think this article shows how technology and science can be used to solve real world problems while promoting efficiency and sustainability. 

Lopez, L. (2026). California grants $7.4 million to advance gene-edited stem cell therapy for friedreich’s ataxia. Ucsd.edu. https://today.ucsd.edu/story/california-grants-7.4-million-to-advance-gene-edited-stem-cell-therapy-for-friedreichs-ataxia

This article describes how UCSD is working on stem cell-based gene therapy for a genetic neurodegenerative disease called Friedreich’s ataxia. The CIRM gave 7.4 million dollars as funding for this work, which will work towards finalizing the preclinical safety studies and manufacturing of a potential cure for this disease, using CRISPR Cas-9 to correct a patient’s blood producing stem cells in the bone marrow. Friedreich’s ataxia, which affects tens of thousands in the US, causes the afflicted’s progressive loss of motor skills and mobility. Success in earlier studies for this cure occurred, as stem cells transplanted into animal models of Friedreich’s ataxia were successfully migrated into the nervous system and delivered healthy frataxin to the affected cells. If effective, this will be the first genetically edited stem cell therapy for this condition, shifting treatment from just managing symptoms and living with it, to potentially curing it permanently. 

This article relates to environmental science as this development marks a positive and big step in medical research. Using genetic engineering technology and advanced stem cell therapies might reduce the impact of rare genetic diseases on the human population. The possibility of using genetically engineered biotech for inherited diseases like Friedreich’s ataxia and other neurodegenerative diseases will limit the caused death rates and bolster and strengthen our population. This reminds me of the Demographic Transition Model, which moves from rapid population growth in the transitional and industrial stages to stability in the post industrial stage, driven in part by innovations, better healthcare, and medical advancements such as the one described in the article. Furthermore,this development also brings up concerns regarding the ethical and functional implications of altering genetics for a species’ sustainability.

Greenwood, V. (2025, January 10). Scientists May Be Able to Make Grapefruits Compatible With Medications They Currently Interfere With. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/10/science/grapefruit-drugs-medications.html

This article explains why people who take specific medications are often told to avoid consuming grapefruits. This is because the fruit contains certain compounds called furanocoumarins that interfere with liver enzymes, and as a result causes the medication to build up to dangerous levels. However, it’s important to note that other citrus fruits like mandarins don’t have this same effect, and are safe to consume on these medications. To uncover the genetic basis of this difference, scientists at Israel’s Volcani Center experimented with cross breeding grapefruits and mandarin oranges, and they discovered that the offspring either remained with high levels of the compounds or none at all. This pattern ultimately helped them identify the single gene that produces an enzyme, 2OGD, which is responsible for the production of the compound furanocoumarin. With genetic modifications and edits, experts were able to produce grapefruits that are safe to consume with medication. 

This article connects to environmental science by highlighting the role of biotechnology, genetic engineering, and agriculture in human health. I find it very interesting how one mutated gene can make grapefruits safe to eat, and I think this shows how genetics can directly influence our daily lives and the foods we eat. Furthermore, the foods we eat are the main contributor to our environmental footprint, and so the development of grapefruits that are safe to eat is significant in relation to our environment. Ultimately, this article demonstrates how genetic engineering can solve real world health challenges, as well as influence our interaction with our environment. 

Jarvis, B. (2025, May 7). There’s No “Undo” Button for Extinct Species. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/07/magazine/extinct-species-dire-wolf.html

‌ This article describes how Colossal-Biosciences, a biotechnology company, announced they had “brought back” the extinct species, dire-wolves. By editing gray-wolf DNA with genetic information from fossils, scientists had created animals that appeared like dire-wolves, larger and fluffier than normal wolves. Supporters believed the company had made a breakthrough in de-extinction sciences, and they celebrated the possibility of restoring extinct species. However, experts argue the wolves aren’t actually true dire-wolves, but are really just genetically altered gray-wolves who resemble them. Although they may look the part, ultimately they lack the behaviors, ecology, and culture of the dire-wolves, which are the very things that made it one. In addition, even if Colossal had successfully reproduced the dire-wolf genome, this is not the same as reproducing the ways in which this species used to impact their environment. Critics worry that the illusion of reversing loss of biodiversity could weaken efforts to protect current endangered species. 

This article connects to environmental science because it highlights the importance of each species in an ecosystem, and the fact that once a species goes extinct, there is irreversible damage to the ecosystem. The article demonstrates this through describing how although the company may have recreated the appearance of a dire-wolf, this is not the same as reversing the loss of the species’ impact on their ecosystem. In other words, this article shows the difference between restoring an image of nature and restoring an ecosystem. I think this teaches how we can’t rely on “undo buttons” while we continue to destroy habitats and cause animals to go extinct. Efforts should focus on protecting current endangered species that are still alive today, instead of just re-creating “ghosts” of them.

Kolata, G. (2025, March 10). Mutated DNA Restored to Normal in Gene Therapy Advance. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/health/gene-editing-beam-mutation-dna.html

‌This article describes the success of researchers at Beam Therapeutics in correcting a DNA mutation that causes a genetic disease which damages the lungs and liver called alpha- 1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) through the use of base-editing gene therapy. This treatment used lipid nanoparticles to deliver a CRISPR-based editor into the liver, where it can locate the single flawed DNA letter and replace it with the correct one. Patients at the highest dose produced protective levels of the alpha- 1 antitrypsin protein, and no major health issues or side effects were observed. Doctors describe the therapy as very promising, calling the treatment a potential “one-and-done” cure. However, long term results are still unknown and the need for long term monitoring remains. 

I think this article shows how genetics and technology can improve human health in ways that connect to our environment. Because AATD increases the sensitivity of lungs to smoke and dust, this genetic engineered therapy can help people tolerate environmental issues that are becoming more and more common with pollution and climate change on the rise. To me, this shows how genetic engineering can support not just people’s resistance to disease, but also how they interact with and are impacted by the environment around them. I think this is the first step down the path of something that could eventually apply to other diseases too, which could boost our population by decreasing the limiting factor of disease. This is a huge step forward for the health of our population, and it ultimately could redefine our response to environmental related diseases. 

Qiu, L., & Robles-Gil, A. (2025, August 9). How the U.S. and Mexico Are Fighting Deadly Flesh-Eating Screwworms. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/09/us/screwworm-cattle-gene-editing.html

This article describes how, after decades of success keeping the screwworm parasite at bay in Panama, this deadly parasite has reappeared throughout Central America, threatening to spread into the U.S. The screwworm, a flesh eating deadly parasite that feeds on the living tissue in cattle, wildlife, pets, and even humans, has historically cost millions in losses to ranchers and our economy. To fight the spread of the screwworm, the U.S. and Mexico are ramping up sterile fly production. This is a method where sterilized males mate with females, slowing population growth. However, experts warn that production still falls short of what’s needed. As a solution, researchers are testing gene-edited flies (to pass on infertility, stopping population growth), or synthetic lures, but these are still being experimented. Eradication efforts are challenged by budget cuts and loss of experienced staff, raising concern over the ability to limit the parasites spread. 

This article relates to environmental science because it demonstrates the impacts that pests and parasites have on the disruption of our planet’s ecosystems, as well as on our own economies. The example reflected in the article is that screwworms aren’t just a ranchers problem, it threatens wildlife populations, our food production/agriculture and thus our economy, and even human health as well. I think that this story highlights the importance of science and politics or policies working together to solve environmental issues. If the screwworm spreads, it could result in the decline of both our food systems and ecosystems’ biodiversity. The extent to which human intervention shapes ecosystems is reflected through how our actions like migration and our role in climate change increase the expansion of pests, but as well as how our production of sterilized fly factories and genetically modified infertility traits limit this growth. 

Dzombak, R. (2025, June 12). Soaring Temperatures Threaten Crops, So Scientists Are Looking to Alter the Plants. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/12/climate/plants-climate-change-photosynthesis.html

This article describes the threat of climate change on food production. As global temperatures rise, this interferes with plants photosynthesis, threatening staple-crop yields worldwide. In search of possible solutions, researchers are investigating how genetic modification can improve crops’ ability to withstand the rising temperatures/heat. Genetic engineering techniques they are exploring include altering photosynthesis to help colder climate plants adapt to warmer temperatures, altering the architecture of a plant’s leaves to balance sun and shade to help maintain temperature and productivity, and modifying plants’ temperature sensing system to control plants’ responses to heat. However, these developments face challenges like shrinking research funding and societal resistance to genetically modified foods, believing them to be unnatural and artificial. But without these innovations, current crops may not survive in conditions projected for the coming decades. 

This article ties to environmental science because it shows how climate change affects agriculture, as well as demonstrating the importance of scientific innovation through genetic engineering on the sustainability of our agriculture. I agree with the idea that genetically engineered crops will likely be an important tool in the future of our food production, even if people are hesitant. We already rely on highly unnatural agricultural systems like fertilizers and pesticides, so improving and increasing it to develop plants’ tolerance to heat and ultimately boost their survivability despite climate stress seems like the next logical step. If crops cannot adapt, humans will likely face major agricultural, economic, and environmental issues and challenges. I think using genetic engineering responsibly is necessary to securing the world’s food supply in the face of rising temperatures due to climate change.