Altering a small section of chicken DNA improved resistance to avian influenza with no negative impacts on health or well-being, revealed new research from the University of Edinburgh, Imperial College London and Pirbright Institute.

“Gene-editing offers a promising route towards permanent disease resistance, which could be passed down through generations, protecting poultry and reducing the risks to humans and wild birds,” Mike McGrew, the study’s principal investigator, from the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute, said in a statement