Safer Gene Editing Technologies in Reproductive Medicine
Meeting Notes
- Topic: Safer Gene Editing Technologies in Reproductive Medicine
- Date: January 5, 2026
- Time: 12:52 PM – 1:23 PM ET (31 minutes)
- Format: Microsoft Teams
Note: The meeting recording failed, so a full transcript was not produced. The notes below are compiled from the partial Otter.ai summary and from caucus member recollections, and are shorter than our usual meeting write-ups.
Speakers
Aydin Gokce – Cofounder, Engineer & Biotechnologist, General Cybernetics
Genesis Lung – Bioengineer specializing in genome editing, General Cybernetics
Meeting Overview
Aydin Gokce and Genesis Lung of General Cybernetics presented the company's focus on preventing genetic disease through prenatal gene therapy. They described a CRISPR editor with a built-in off-switch designed to avoid mosaicism and ensure that every cell in the resulting embryo carries the same intended genome. Caucus members discussed the potential for New Hampshire to lead in biotech innovation and the regulatory challenges posed by the FDA.
Key Discussion Topics
What Is a Mosaic Genome?
The presenters explained that a mosaic genome occurs when a gene edit reaches some cells of a developing embryo but not others, so the resulting organism is built from a mixture of edited and unedited cells. In reproductive gene editing this is a serious risk: if the edit is applied after cell division has begun, or if the editor remains active across multiple divisions, the embryo can end up with a patchwork of different genomes. The practical danger is that the disease the edit was meant to prevent can still manifest in the unedited cells, while unintended edits can propagate through others — producing unpredictable clinical outcomes.
Controlled CRISPR Editor with an Off-Switch
General Cybernetics has developed a CRISPR editor that includes an engineered off-switch. The off-switch is designed to shut the editor down at the right moment so that mosaicism does not take hold, resulting in an embryo whose cells share a single, identical genome.
Must Be Applied Before the First Cell Division
The presenters emphasized that their technology has to be applied before the embryo's first cell division. Editing at the single-cell stage is what makes a uniform genome achievable — once division has started, any edit risks being inherited by only some of the daughter cells, which is precisely what produces mosaicism.
Not Designer Babies
The presenters were explicit that the technology is not intended for "designer babies." The mission is preventing heritable genetic disease, not selecting for cosmetic or performance traits.
Regulatory Path and New Hampshire's Opportunity
Caucus members discussed the regulatory challenges posed by the FDA for prenatal gene therapy in the United States, and the potential for New Hampshire to position itself as a leader in biotech innovation if the state develops a thoughtful framework for advanced reproductive medicine.
Action Items
- Share and present General Cybernetics' slide presentation to the caucus during the meeting (screen share and discussion).
- Plan and prepare for the company's public launch, targeted in approximately three to six months.
- Continue outreach and contact with innovative biotech companies, acting as a conduit between the caucus and industry to facilitate follow-up after New Hampshire legal developments.
Notes compiled from a partial Otter.ai summary and member recollections by KA using Claude.ai. The meeting recording failed, so this write-up is less detailed than usual.
Agenda
Presenter
General Cybernetics
Website: generalcybernetics.org
Speakers
- Genesis Lung, Bioengineer specializing in genome editing - LinkedIn
- Aydin Gokce, Cofounder, Engineer & Biotechnologist - LinkedIn
Meeting Agenda
- Welcome and introductions
- Presentation: General Cybernetics
- Introduction & Overview
- Shortcomings of current assisted reproductive technologies
- Risk mitigation framework for gene editing in reproductive medicine
- Promising preliminary data on controllable editors
- Long-term vision & call to action
- Q&A
- Legislation Updates - List of 2026 E.T. Bills
Microsoft Teams
Meeting ID: 259 373 332 883 68
Passcode: 6ZM6yF2f