Dr Karen Massel from the University of Queensland has authored a review supporting the integration of genome and gene editing into plant breeding, to combat major challenges facing the agricultural industries, such as climate change. Credit: The University of Queensland. Read Time: Gene editing technology will play a vital role in climate-proofing future crops to protect global food supplies, according to scientists at The University of Queensland. Biotechnologist Dr Karen Massel from UQâs Centre for Crop Science has published a review of gene editing technologies such as CRISPR-Cas9 to safeguard food security in farming systems under stress from extreme and variable climate conditions.