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Genetic engineering

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Khan art

A portrait of Khan Noonien Singh, a man who was a product of genetic engineering

Genetic engineering, or genetic manipulation was a process in which the DNA of an organism was selectively altered through artificial means. Genetic engineering was often used to produce "custom" organisms, such as for agricultural or medical purposes, as well as to produce biogenic weapons. The most common application of genetic engineering on intelligent beings in the Federation was corrective DNA resequencing for genetic disorders. A far more dubious application of genetic engineering was the genetic "enhancement" of individuals to produce improved senses, strength, intelligence, etc.


During Earth's 20th century, efforts to produce "superhumans" resulted in the Eugenics Wars. Genetically engineered individuals such as Khan Noonien Singh attempted to seize power. (TOS: "Space Seed")

This would lead to the banning of genetic engineering on Earth by the mid-22nd century, even research which could be used to cure critical illnesses. This ban was implemented because of the general fear of creating more tyrants such as Khan. It was also felt that parents would feel compelled to have their children genetically engineered, especially if "enhanced" individuals are allowed to compete in normal society.

A line from ENT: "Affliction" established the date of the technology being banned as "decades" before 2154.

Some, including geneticist Arik Soong, argued that it was simply convenient for humanity to denounce the attempts at genetic "improvement" of humanity, that it was inherently evil because of the Eugenics Wars. He argued that the source of the problem, in fact, wasn't the technology, but humanity's own inability to use it wisely. Imprisoned for, among other crimes, stealing the embryos of a number of Augment children, Soong wrote long treatises on the subject of genetic augmentations and improvements. His works were routinely taken and placed into storage (although his jailers often told him that his work was vaporized). Captain Jonathan Archer expressed his hope to Soong that research into genetic engineering that could cure life-threatening diseases would someday be resumed. (ENT: "Borderland", "The Augments")

Others, however, chose to establish isolated colonies as became the case with the Genome colony on Moab IV, which was established in 2168. It became a notable and successful example of Human genetic engineering in which every individual was genetically tailored from birth to perform a specific role in society. However, after an encounter with the USS Enterprise-D when the ship came to the colony to assist their efforts to save the colony from an approaching neutron star even after the star was effectively redirected, many colonists left the colony – causing significant damage to the structure of their society – because they realized the limitations of their organized, pre-planned world, as it lacked the opportunities to grow that were offered by the Enterprise. (TNG: "The Masterpiece Society")

By the 24th century, the United Federation of Planets allowed limited use of genetic engineering to correct existing genetically-related medical conditions. Persons known to be genetically enhanced, however, were not allowed to serve in Starfleet, and were especially banned from practicing medicine. (TNG: "Genesis", DS9: "Doctor Bashir, I Presume")

Nevertheless, some parents attempted to secretly have their children genetically modified. (DS9: "Doctor Bashir, I Presume") Unfortunately, most of these operations were performed by unqualified physicians, resulting in severe psychological problems in the children due to their enhancements being only partially successful, such as a patient's senses being enhanced while their ability to process the resulting data remained at a human norm. (DS9: "Statistical Probabilities")

The Federation seemed to apply the ban loosely in the area of officially-sanctioned scientific research. In 2365, the Federation permitted limited genetic research on Humans at the Darwin Genetic Research Station. The crew of the USS Enterprise encountered these genetically engineered children, whose genetically enhanced immune systems altered germs in order to repel them. The children were also telepathic. Their immune systems caused rapid aging in adults exposed to the children, killing the entire crew of the USS Lantree. The results of these disastrous experiments may have convinced the Federation to reimpose stricter prohibitions by the 2370s. (TNG: "Unnatural Selection")

In some cases, genetic engineering can be permitted to be performed in utero when dealing with a developing fetus to correct any potential genetic defects that could handicap the child as they grew up. Chakotay's family history included a defective gene that made those who possessed it prone to hallucinations, the gene afflicting his grandfather in Chakotay's youth, although the gene was suppressed in Chakotay himself. (VOY: "The Fight") In 2377, The Doctor performed prenatal genetic modification on Miral Paris to correct a spinal deviation, a congenital defect that tends to run in Klingon families; Miral's mother had undergone surgery to correct the defect in herself at a young age. (VOY: "Lineage")


The Founders of the Dominion performed extensive genetic modifications on their two servant races, the Jem'Hadar and the Vorta, in order for them to better serve their roles and to ingrain a fanatical devotion to the Founders. (DS9: "The Abandoned", "Ties of Blood and Water") As a result of these modifications, neither species reproduced in the traditional biological sense. (DS9: "To the Death")

According to Vorta legend, they were originally ape-like creatures who were gifted sentience by the Founders after they helped a changeling escape pursuit. (DS9: "Treachery, Faith and the Great River")

It is unknown whether the Jem'Hadar had any such ancestral species.

The Dominion also genetically engineered biological weapons, such as the blight they unleashed against the people of the Teplan system. (DS9: "The Quickening")


During the 21st century, the Suliban were no more evolved than humans. However, a number of Suliban, from a faction known as the Suliban Cabal, became recipients of some very sophisticated genetic engineering thanks to a mysterious humanoid from the 28th century. These "enhancements" included subcutaneous pigment sacs, a bio-mimetic garment and eyes with compound retinas – which allowed them to see things starship sensors likely could not detect. The Suliban considered these "enhancements" as "progress". (ENT: "Broken Bow")



When they were captured by a pre-warp civilization in 2152, Jonathan Archer and Malcolm Reed claimed to be prototypes of a new breed of supersoldiers to conceal the existence of alien life from the civilization. (ENT: "The Communicator")

Genetic engineering had been employed on Denobula since the twentieth century, to generally positive effect. (ENT: "Borderland")

The Tosk were engineered by the Hunters to be prey for their traditional hunts. (DS9: "Captive Pursuit")

The Son'a used genetic manipulation as part of a range of strategies to retard aging. (Star Trek: Insurrection)

The Brunali were proficient at genetic engineering, which they used to create modified crops capable of surviving on their Borg-devastated homeworld. However, they also genetically engineered some of their children to produce a pathogen deadly to Borg. These children were then allowed to be assimilated, so that they could spread the infection to their Borg vessels. Icheb was one such child, the pathogen causing the cube that he was on to break down, killing all of the active drones and causing the young drones in their maturation chambers to activate before they were fully processed into the Collective. (VOY: "Child's Play")

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