A gene-edited lamb has been born in Kashmir, India, marking a significant advancement in animal biotechnology. The lamb was created by a team at SKUAST-Kashmir, led by Dr. Riyaz Ahmad Shah, using CRISPR-Cas9 technology to target the myostatin gene, which regulates muscle growth.
The university views this achievement as a major step in placing India on the global map of advanced genome editing technologies. It also positions SKUAST-Kashmir at the forefront of reproductive biotechnology research.
Key details:
The female lamb was born four months ago.
The myostatin gene was targeted to enhance muscle growth.
No foreign DNA was introduced, distinguishing it from transgenic organisms.
International biosafety protocols were strictly followed.
The lamb's muscle growth will be monitored over the next few years to fully understand the effects of the gene editing. The team is also exploring possibilities in other areas like twin births and disease resistance.
Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai briefed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha about the development. The Lieutenant Governor praised the team's efforts and their contribution to advancing scientific research in the region.