On January 10-11, 2018, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s (NAS) Standing Committee on Use of Emerging Science for Environmental Health Decisions (ESEHD) convened a workshop entitled “The Promise of Genome Editing Tools to Advance Environmental Health Research.”  The meeting is intended to bring together experts in molecular biology, toxicology, and public health to explore opportunities for using genome (and epigenome) editing technologies in environmental health research.  Participants are scheduled  to discuss genome editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 and their applications to help reveal the mechanisms through which environmental stressors influence  human health, including developing models of health and disease, testing chemicals for toxicity, and determining mechanisms of toxicity; and speakers explored how research that leverages genome editing tools might inform different types of decisions, including for risk assessment and environmental policy.  The sessions included:

• Genome and Epigenome Editing: Trends, Techniques, and Capabilities;

• Exploring Toxicology-Relevant Uses of Genome Editing Tools; and

• Incorporating Genome Editing Tools into Environmental Health Research:  Pathways Forward.

More information on ESEHD regarding this workshop and other events is available on NAS’ website.