Gene Editing

In morphology, gene editing is a process by which the genetic code of a biological organism can be artificially altered in order to confer beneficial or preferential effects. Gene editing can be used to cure disease and extend lifespans; but it can also be used to add additional features to one's body, or change the appearance of it entirely. It underpins the wider process of biomodding, and represents the most widespread way of altering one's body.

Biomods based on gene editing effectively reprogram the body itself to make the desired changes with its own stem cells. This means the rate of change depends on both the rate of diffusion of the drug across all the body's cells, as well as the metabolism of the patient. For example, growing fur as an anthro usually takes not much longer than growing hair, whilst growing a tail takes multiple months and requires a massively increased caloric intake in order to support the formation of new tissues, whilst causing constant fatigue. The growth of new limbs also results in chronic pain from bone reformation, necessitating the use of painkillers during the growth period, and requires additional time for the brain to adapt itself to learn how to control the neural pathways of the new muscles.