Scientists Plan CRISPR-Edited Mice Release to Combat Lyme Disease on Nantucket

Scientists, led by MIT researcher Kevin Esvelt, are developing genetically engineered white-footed mice that are immune to Lyme disease to break the infection cycle involving ticks and humans, with Nantucket Island serving as a proposed testing ground. These mice carry a CRISPR-inserted Lyme-blocking antibody gene, which not only makes them resistant to the disease but also allows them to pass this immunity to their offspring, potentially reducing Lyme transmission over time. Nantucket has one of the highest Lyme disease rates in the U.S., affecting about 15% of its residents, largely due to ecological factors like abundant deer and tick populations that facilitate the disease spread. The initiative has sparked community involvement, including public forums and planned votes, as residents weigh the benefits of disease control against ecological and ethical concerns. If successful, this approach could pioneer gene editing applications for other diseases, but it remains a high-stakes strategy under close scientific and ethical scrutiny. Lyme disease symptoms can be severe, and current understanding highlights that targeting the mice, rather than deer or ticks, is key to controlling the disease cycle.