Set in 2018, Find + Replace is set between California and London - a ruthless and narcissistic geneticist at one of the world’s leading Silicon Valley pharmaceutical companies is determined to rid humans of hereditary illnesses. Meticulous and controlling, she is prepared to manipulate political figures, leapfrog safe-guarding ethical boundaries, and even murder in her obsessive quest to be remembered after her death.

To do this she’ll be using the very real and very scary biological tool, CRISPR - in brief, a method for re-writing undesirable genes with desirable ones. Described by Vladimir Putin as ‘more dangerous than a nuclear bomb’, CRISPR’s ability to allow us to create humans according to preference has opened the door to many ethical issues including designer babies, ‘super soldiers’, and eugenics.

In December 2023, the FDA approved it for use on humans to treat sickle cell anaemia.

CRISPR in The Press:

New York Times

Time Magazine

Forbes

BBC