diff --git a/app/abilities/strain.js b/app/abilities/strain.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1b18e18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/abilities/strain.js
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import { Ability } from 'ember-can';
+
+export default Ability.extend({
+  // Only admins and writers can create a new strain
+  canAdd: function() {
+    let role = this.get('session.currentUser.role');
+    return (role === 'W') || (role === 'A');
+  }.property('session.currentUser.role'),
+
+  // Only admins and the person who created can edit
+  canEdit: function() {
+    let role = this.get('session.currentUser.role');
+    let id = this.get('session.currentUser.id');
+    let author = this.get('model.author');
+    return (role === 'W' && (+id === author)) || (role === 'A');
+  }.property('session.currentUser.role', 'session.currentUser.id', 'model.author')
+});
diff --git a/app/models/strain.js b/app/models/strain.js
index 3f761ba..b578418 100644
--- a/app/models/strain.js
+++ b/app/models/strain.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ export default DS.Model.extend({
   createdAt: DS.attr('date'),
   updatedAt: DS.attr('date'),
   deletedAt: DS.attr('date'),
+  author: DS.attr('number'),
   totalMeasurements: DS.attr('number'),
   fullName: Ember.computed('speciesName', 'strainName', function() {
     return this.get('speciesName') + ' (' + this.get('strainName') + ')';
diff --git a/app/templates/strains/index.hbs b/app/templates/strains/index.hbs
index 2ab1cb1..9cda5c3 100644
--- a/app/templates/strains/index.hbs
+++ b/app/templates/strains/index.hbs
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 <h2>{{genus-name}} Strains</h2>
 <h3>Total strains: {{controller.length}}</h3>
 
+{{#if (can "add strain")}}
+  {{! Does nothing ATM }}
+  <a class="button-gray smaller">Add Strain</a>
+{{/if}}
+
 <table class="flakes-table">
   <thead>
     <tr>
diff --git a/app/templates/strains/show.hbs b/app/templates/strains/show.hbs
index 3cd72b2..3ee6490 100644
--- a/app/templates/strains/show.hbs
+++ b/app/templates/strains/show.hbs
@@ -51,9 +51,19 @@
         </dl>
         <dl class="span-1"></dl>
       </div>
+      {{#if (can "edit strain" model)}}
+        {{! ROW 5 }}
+        <div class="grid-4">
+          <div class="span-1">
+            {{! Does nothing ATM }}
+            <a class="button-gray smaller">Edit Strain</a>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      {{/if}}
     </fieldset>
   </div>
 </div>
+
 <div class="measurements-container">
   {{outlet}}
 </div>
diff --git a/config/environment.js b/config/environment.js
index 45053b2..b320842 100644
--- a/config/environment.js
+++ b/config/environment.js
@@ -42,6 +42,11 @@ module.exports = function(environment) {
       refreshLeeway: 300,
       timeFactor: 1
     }
+    ENV['ember-can'] = {
+      inject: {
+        session: 'simple-auth-session:main'
+      }
+    }
     ENV.apiURL = 'http://127.0.0.1:4200';
     ENV.contentSecurityPolicy = {
       'default-src': "'none'",
@@ -72,6 +77,11 @@ module.exports = function(environment) {
       refreshLeeway: 300,
       timeFactor: 1
     }
+    ENV['ember-can'] = {
+      inject: {
+        session: 'simple-auth-session:main'
+      }
+    }
     ENV.apiURL = 'https://bactdb-test.herokuapp.com';
     ENV.contentSecurityPolicy = {
       'default-src': "'none'",
@@ -106,6 +116,11 @@ module.exports = function(environment) {
       refreshLeeway: 300,
       timeFactor: 1
     }
+    ENV['ember-can'] = {
+      inject: {
+        session: 'simple-auth-session:main'
+      }
+    }
     ENV.apiURL = 'https://bactdb.herokuapp.com';
     ENV.contentSecurityPolicy = {
       'default-src': "'none'",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 85b3ab1..36ae436 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
     "body-parser": "^1.12.2",
     "broccoli-asset-rev": "^2.0.2",
     "connect-restreamer": "^1.0.2",
+    "ember-can": "^0.4.0",
     "ember-cli": "0.2.2",
     "ember-cli-app-version": "0.3.3",
     "ember-cli-babel": "^4.0.0",
diff --git a/server/mocks/strains.js b/server/mocks/strains.js
index 35bd357..a6a8d26 100644
--- a/server/mocks/strains.js
+++ b/server/mocks/strains.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
       createdAt: "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
       updatedAt: "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
       deletedAt: null,
+      author: 1,
       totalMeasurements: 5,
     },
     {
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
       createdAt: "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
       updatedAt: "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
       deletedAt: null,
+      author: 3,
       totalMeasurements: 5,
     },
     {
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
       createdAt: "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
       updatedAt: "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
       deletedAt: null,
+      author: 1,
       totalMeasurements: 0,
     },
     {
@@ -61,6 +64,7 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
       createdAt: "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
       updatedAt: "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
       deletedAt: null,
+      author: 3,
       totalMeasurements: 0,
     }
   ];