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DNA cops make sure deadly viruses don't get rebuilt

Body within Office of the Director of National Intelligence has programme that it hopes will help keep cutting-edge biological technology away from bad actors

Published Sun, Jul 1, 2018 · 09:50 PM

Viruses

Washington

GENETIC engineering could help produce more resilient crops and more effective vaccines. Some fear that it could also be used to make a biological weapon.

In January, a small research team at the University of Alberta engineered a cousin of the lethal smallpox virus called horsepox, using strands of DNA they received in the mail. The organism that they built wasn't a threat to humans.

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