Scientists at a biotech company have created two gene-edited beagles designed not to trigger common dog allergies, according to an AP report. The research suggests a possible future path for people who love dogs but react to them with sneezing and other allergy symptoms.
The team used CRISPR, the gene-editing tool that won a Nobel Prize, to switch off a gene linked to the main allergy-causing protein in dogs. By blocking production of that protein, the researchers aimed to produce dogs that are effectively hypoallergenic.
The project is also personal for scientist Matt Walker, who the report says could not pet a dog without sneezing before the work. One of the edited beagles is named Bailey, and the story describes Walker now being able to interact with the dog without the usual allergic reaction.
While the result is still an early scientific development, it points to how gene editing could eventually be used in new ways beyond human medicine. For now, the gene-edited beagles highlight a novel approach to dog allergies and a controversial but closely watched use of biotechnology in animals.
