Synopsis

This report on Emerging Gene expression regulation technologies in medical (red) biotechnology contains the conclusions of a scientific literature evaluation carried out independently by Xendo commissioned by RIVM Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu) GMO office. The report focusses on the novel molecular genetic techniques with a medical application in order to ultimately affect disease related gene expression. The major genetic engineering technology areas that have been identified are: genome and epigenome editing, gene expression regulation and gene delivery. The technologies identified are ZNF (Engineered nuclease), TALENs (Engineered nuclease), CRISPR/Cas9 (Engineered nuclease system), siRNA and miRNA, and Antisense Oligonucleotides (ASOs). Moreover, advances in both viral and nonviral delivery systems are introduced as a general driver for the described genetic engineering technologies.