CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: NAS and NAM Initiative on Human Gene Editing

The National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine are launching a major initiative to guide decision making about controversial new research involving human gene editing.  Human gene-editing technologies, such as CRISPR-Cas9, may lead to promising new treatments for disease.  However, recent experiments to attempt to edit human genes also have raised important questions about the potential risks and ethical concerns of altering the human germline.

Our initiative will include an international summit in late 2015 to convene researchers and other experts to explore the scientific, ethical, legal, and policy issues associated with human gene-editing research.  In addition, we will appoint a multidisciplinary, international committee to begin a comprehensive study of the scientific underpinnings and clinical, ethical, legal, and social implications of human gene editing.  The committee will consider and recommend standards, guidelines, and practices governing the use of gene-editing technologies in biomedical research and medicine. 

We are seeking nominations for both the planning committee for the international summit and the consensus study committee. We invite suggestions  for scientists with expertise in molecular and developmental biology...