CRISPR’s Next Act: From Bacterial Defense to One-Time Therapies and Global Ethics

Jennifer Doudna describes how CRISPR-Cas9 evolved from a bacterial immune system into a programmable gene-editing tool, its rapid uptake across medicine and agriculture, and the ongoing delivery challenges to different tissues. The discussion covers a landmark 2024 liver-targeted therapy for Baby KJ, the prospect of one-time genetic treatments, and the ethical, regulatory, and accessibility questions raised by germline edits (notably the 2018 case), underscoring the need for cautious public engagement as the CRISPR toolbox expands.