Imagine a biology that is increasingly programmable, with crops able to withstand extreme droughts, bacteria capable of capturing pollutants, and cells engineered to correct hereditary diseases. CRISPR technology, developed just over a decade ago, is one of the tools making this shift possible. While not the first method of genetic engineering, it has enabled DNA to be edited with unprecedented speed, precision and versatility.
CRISPR works like guided molecular scissors, capable of locating and modifying a specific fragment of DNA as one might correct a piece of text. In many cases, these changes can be made without introducing genes from other species, setting it apart from many traditional genetically modified organisms. The most recent variants, such as base editing and prime editing, further expand the range of possible changes, bringing us closer to the concept of ‘reprogramming’ specific biological functions.
As these capabilities continue to evolve, CRISPR could become a vital element of a bioeconomy in which part of production relies on organisms designed for particular tasks. This transition is already beginning to emerge in several sectors. In agriculture, for example, new varieties are being developed that are more resistant to droughts and heatwaves, or that have a greater capacity to fix carbon in the soil. In healthcare, clinical trials are proliferating to treat blood disorders, certain cancers and hereditary conditions. In industrial biotechnology, there is growing interest in using edited microorganisms to produce biopolymers, enzymes and other compounds more efficiently, with a smaller environmental footprint.
The scale of this transformation will depend on overcoming several challenges. In healthcare, it will be necessary to make CRISPR-based therapies more affordable and to strengthen their assessment in terms of efficacy and safety. In agriculture, regulatory frameworks must be adapted, as European rules remain more restrictive than those in other countries. In industrial biotechnology, robust criteria for biosafety, good governance and benefit-sharing will be essential to prevent inequalities and high-risk uses.
Spain is not starting from scratch. The molecular basis of CRISPR was originally characterised here, and the country is home to internationally recognised scientific groups specialising in agriculture, biomedicine and environmental research. Furthermore, Spain has played a key role in shaping the debate on advanced genomic techniques within the European Union, and several public hospitals are actively participating in trials that could accelerate the integration of these therapies into clinical practice. A more detailed overview of these developments and their regulatory implications can be found in the 2025 ONAC report “La tecnología CRISPR en agricultura, alimentación y salud ”, which analyses public policy options for the safe, equitable and socially beneficial deployment of this technology.
For further information, please see: Chen, Feng, et al.“Recent advances of CRISPR-based genome editing for enhancing staple crops.” Frontiers in plant science 15, 2024.; Chodnekar, Swarali Yatin, and Zurab Tsetskhladze.“CRISPR CLIP: comprehensive reviews on interventional studies using precision recombinant technologies: clinical landmarks, implications, and prospects.” Oxford Open Immunology 5.1, 2024; Joo, Jeong H., Soogene Lee, and Keun P. Kim.“Precision gene editing: The power of CRISPR-Cas in modern genetics.” Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids 36.4 (2025); ONAC.“Informe de políticas. La tecnología CRISPR en agricultura, alimentación y salud.”Madrid: ONAC, 2025;Verdezoto-Prado, Jessica, et al.“Advances in environmental biotechnology with CRISPR/Cas9: bibliometric review and cutting-edge applications.”Discover Applied Sciences 7.3, 2025; y Yang, Piao, et al.“Integrating CRISPR/Cas technology with clinical trials: principles, progress, and challenges.” Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2025.