Three Technologies Set to Shape Biotechnology in 2026
By Jessica Hamzelou, MIT Technology Review | January 16, 2026
Each year, MIT Technology Review publishes its much-anticipated list of Ten Breakthrough Technologies, highlighting innovations that made headlines and are poised to have significant impacts in the near future. This year’s revelations span diverse fields, such as energy, artificial intelligence, space exploration—and notably, biotechnology and health.
Among the breakthrough biotech technologies expected to influence 2026, three stand out: personalized gene editing with base-editing therapies, the genetic resurrection of extinct species, and advanced embryo scoring techniques aimed at selecting embryos based on genetic traits. Here’s an in-depth look at these transformative technologies.
Personalized Gene Editing: A New Frontier for Treating Genetic Disorders
In August 2024, a milestone was reached with the birth of KJ Muldoon, a baby diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder causing toxic ammonia build-up in his bloodstream. This condition, if untreated, often leads to severe neurological problems or can be fatal. Until recently, KJ’s only hope appeared to be a risky liver transplant.
Then, KJ received an experimental personalized gene therapy—specifically a "base editing" treatment designed to precisely correct the problematic genetic mutations causing his disorder. Remarkably, after three doses, KJ is showing positive signs and even took his first steps in December 2025, celebrating his first Christmas at home.
The success of this treatment is encouraging for many. The research team behind this breakthrough is preparing clinical trials targeting other infants suffering from different genetic mutations with similar therapies. Efforts aim at gaining regulatory approval based on small-scale trials, which could potentially lower costs—KJ’s treatment was valued at approximately $1 million—and make these therapies more accessible globally within a few years.
Gene-editing specialists like Fyodor Urnov from the University of California, Berkeley, who contributed to KJ’s treatment development, have also co-founded startups such as Aurora Therapeutics. Aurora aims to create gene therapies for conditions like phenylketonuria (PKU) that can be adapted for individual patients without requiring extensive new trials. US regulators are signaling openness to such “bespoke, personalized therapies,” suggesting a new regulatory pathway may soon be formalized.
Gene Resurrection: Bringing Ancient DNA to Life
2025 was also pivotal for Colossal Biosciences, a biotech startup working to "de-extinct" species like woolly mammoths and the dodo. The company startled the world in March by unveiling “woolly mice”—rodents exhibiting traits reminiscent of woolly mammoths, such as fur and curly whiskers.
In a dramatic follow-up, Colossal announced the creation of three dire wolves in April. These animals, with striking snow-white coats, were developed by introducing approximately 20 genetic alterations to gray wolf DNA, informed by genetic analysis of ancient dire wolf fossils.
While whether these animals truly qualify as dire wolves is debated, the underlying technology—extracting and sequencing ancient DNA and assimilating genetic features into living cells of extant species—represents a remarkable scientific feat.
Beyond curiosity and conservation, this approach deepens understanding of extinct species and evolutionary biology. Moreover, cloning and genetic engineering techniques used here also have applications in wildlife conservation and potentially resurrecting lost genetic diversity.
Embryo Scoring: The Ethical Frontier of Genetic Selection
In vitro fertilization (IVF) traditionally involves “scoring” embryos based on their developmental potential before implantation—an established practice in reproductive medicine.
However, embryo scoring has recently evolved. Laboratories can now extract a few cells from embryos to analyze their DNA comprehensively, screening not only for genetic diseases but increasingly also for desired traits such as height, eye color, and even estimated intelligence. Some companies have begun marketing these services to prospective parents eager to select embryos with specific characteristics.
This trend raises considerable ethical concerns. Complex traits like intelligence are influenced by myriad genetic and environmental factors. The predictive power of current genetic knowledge is limited, and focusing on single traits risks unforeseen trade-offs and interpretations. Critics have voiced fears about a resurgence of eugenic ideologies and underscore that genetic selection does not guarantee any particular outcome.
Nonetheless, companies like Nucleus actively promote the concept of having the “best baby,” directly advertising these embryo selection services. This contentious development spotlights the urgent need for thoughtful regulation and public discourse on the ethics and implications of genetic trait selection.
Looking Ahead
As these three biotechnologies advance, their potential to reshape healthcare, conservation, and human reproduction becomes ever clearer. From life-saving personalized gene therapies to bold attempts at reviving extinct species, and the controversial frontiers of embryo genetic selection, 2026 is set to be a watershed year in biotech.
This article originally appeared in "The Checkup," MIT Technology Review’s weekly biotech newsletter. To receive weekly updates and early access to stories like this, sign up here.
About MIT Technology Review
Founded in 1899 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT Technology Review is a globally recognized, independent media organization. It provides insightful analysis, reviews, interviews, and live events covering emerging technologies and their social, commercial, and political impact.
For further reading:
- This baby boy was treated with the first personalized gene-editing drug.
- Game of clones: Colossal’s new wolves are cute, but are they dire?.
- The race to make the perfect baby is creating an ethical mess.
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