SCIENTISTS ARE NOW ABLE TO PRECISELY CHANGE THE GENES OF MANY ANIMALS, INCLUDING CHICKENS, WHICH HELPS US UNDERSTAND HOW GENES WORK. HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO STUDY HOW GENES AFFECT CHICKEN DEVELOPMENT AT DIFFERENT STAGES OR IN SPECIFIC TISSUES. THEREFORE, THIS PROJECT AIMS TO CREATE A NEW SYSTEM TO PRECISELY TURN OFF SPECIFIC GENES IN DEVELOPING CHICKEN EMBRYOS. WE WILL CREATE TRANSGENIC CHICKENS THAT CARRY THE TOOLS NEEDED FOR THIS PRECISE GENE EDITING. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO SEE HOW CHANGES TO SPECIFIC GENES AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHICK EMBRYO. TO SHOW THAT THIS SYSTEM WORKS, WE WILL USE IT TO CONTROL THE SEX OF BABY CHICKS. IN THE POULTRY INDUSTRY, THERE'S A STRONG PREFERENCE FOR EITHER MALE OR FEMALE CHICKS DEPENDING ON WHETHER THEY ARE RAISED FOR MEAT (BROILERS) OR EGGS (LAYERS). THIS OFTEN LEADS TO THE CULLING OF MILLIONS OF UNWANTED CHICKS EACH YEAR, WHICH IS BOTH COSTLY AND RAISES SERIOUS ANIMAL WELFARE CONCERNS. OUR NEW SYSTEM WILL ALLOW CHICKENS TO NATURALLY PRODUCE ONLY THE DESIRED SEX OF CHICKS, ELIMINATING THE NEED TO CULL ANY CHICKS. THIS WILL NOT ONLY IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY AND PROFITABILITY OF THE POULTRY INDUSTRY BUT ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE ANIMAL WELFARE.