Rare‑variant strategy for genetic engineering

Rather than attempting to edit hundreds of thousands of common, small‑effect markers, a practical engineering strategy will prioritize discovery and manipulation of rare, large‑effect variants as the path to meaningful trait change. That tactical pivot shortens timelines for actionable edits but concentrates power in labs that can find and safely manipulate rare alleles, raising access, equity and oversight questions. — If the field adopts a rare‑variant focus, regulators, funders, and ethicists must rapidly create rules for discovery, consent, commercialization, and distribution to avoid accelerating biological inequality and unmanaged biotechnical risk.