RUMIGEN – Improvement of ruminant breeding through ethical genomic selection
RUMIGEN explores how new advances within gene technology can be applied to ruminant breeding in ways that ensure more genetic diversity, healthier animals, and broad societal acceptance from European citizens.
Genome editing using the CRISPR/Cas9 method has initiated a new era for gene technologies that has changed the way we prevent and treat diseases. Although, prosperous gene technologies are inherently controversial in nature due to their potential unethical and insecure usage leading to undesired results. It is therefore necessary that we test whether we should formulate a new societal contract about certain techniques and approaches, as well as defining the conditions and premises gene technologies should be used under.
In RUMIGEN we research how genome editing along with other gene technologies can be applied to ruminant breeding to achieve animals that are better suited for the rising temperatures and the spread of pathogens due to climate change.
The Danish Board of Technology lead the work on social acceptance for the application of new types of gene technologies within ruminant breeding. We bring together a broad composition of representatives from agriculture, animal breeding and animal welfare to create socially responsible scenarios for future breeding approaches using gene technologies.
We are leading a large European citizen engagement process, which seek to map the different perspectives and opinions towards gene technology among citizens to showcase the boundaries between what is deemed acceptable or unacceptable.
