Biologist Anne-Christine Schmidt warns synthetic genetics may deepen ecological risks
Anne-Christine Schmidt, a biologist turned gardener, argues that using synthetic biology to tackle conservation could create increasingly artificial ecosystems.
At the opening of the UN biodiversity conference in Yerevan, biologist and former researcher Anne-Christine Schmidt expressed skepticism toward synthetic biology as a conservation strategy. She highlighted projects aiming to make corals heat-resistant or rescue genomes of near-extinct animals, but warned that such engineered life forms might not persist in their ecosystems because metabolism depends on more than DNA. Schmidt questioned the endless cycle of modifying organisms as oceans warm, calling the approach increasingly artificial.
Regarding invasive species, she admits gene editing could block reproduction but favors direct removal actions, such as community clean-ups. Her criticism stems from personal experience in a lab that tried to create arsenic-tolerant plants, a line of work she left due to ethical concerns. She calls for the scientific community to listen to Indigenous peoples, students and NGOs, and sees the UN conference as a platform for those marginalized voices.
Why it matters
The debate shapes how future conservation policies may rely on or reject genetic engineering.
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