MIT biochemist Dr. Kevin Esvelt will speak about genetic editing on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Katharine Cornell Theatre.

An effort to bring the heath hen back into existence is now the leading de-extinction project in the world, putting the Vineyard at the forefront of new technology in wildlife conservation.

Scientists at MIT are hoping to prevent Lyme disease on the Vineyard by releasing large numbers of genetically engineered mice into the wild. The project would still be years down the road.

The first phase of a ground-breaking project to bring the heath hen back from extinction has been successfully completed, scientists said this week. The path to bringing back the bird is getting more tangible, and scientists say the heath hen could be “the gateway bird” for avian de-extinction.

Following Dr. George Church’s recent discussion on gene therapy, age reversal and the regenesis of extinct species, one woman in the crowd raised her hand and asked, “What kind of a scientist are you?” Well, some call him the "rock star" of DNA and molecular genetics.

A complex and groundbreaking project that aims to bring back the heath hen is advancing “at lightning speed,” scientists said this week.