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(He Jiankui, Getty Images)
- The Chinese researcher who claims to have led the creation of the first genetically modified human baby in the world has been suspended without pay since February.
- His unverified claims that he led the team responsible for genetically modified babies sparked strong condemnations for breaking medical ethics – and possibly even the law.
- The researcher, He Jiankui, is also being investigated by his university.
He Jiankui, largely unknown until yesterday, is an badociate professor at the University of Science and Technology of South Shenzhen, China.
The researcher based in Guangdong Province reported using the CRISPR gene editing tool on embryos from seven different couples during an IVF treatment, which resulted in the birth of binoculars this month.
CRISPR is a molecular tool that allows scientists to edit sections of DNA. Many researchers are interested in using this technology to eliminate or treat genetic diseases, as reported by Business Insider.
The result He claims to be newborn twins immunized against HIV through CRISPR DNA.
According to an Associated Press report, He Jiankui said that the father had the disease and that the mother did not suffer from it. He stated that his ultimate goal was to change the genes of babies so as to protect them from future HIV infection.
The University of Shenzhen distanced itself from He in a statement Monday claiming that the researcher was on leave without pay since February 1, 2018 and that he should not return until January 2021.
His academic council stated that he had "seriously violated ethics and academic standards".
"Our school will immediately hire experts to set up an independent committee to conduct thorough investigations and publish relevant information after investigation," SUSTC said in a statement.
Caixin reports that he also runs six companies in China, mainly in the genetics sector.
When he was contacted by the Chinese magazine, a representative of Shenzhen Hanhai Genetic Biology Technology – one of the companies he heads – refused to say when he was aware of the project, but said in Caixin that the experiment had not been conducted in their premises.
The experience has never been verified or published in a scientific journal.
The Chinese daily People's Daily published an article online about it on Monday, but then deleted the article.
There was a follow-up article in the Communist Party spokesman's speech, distancing himself from the controversy.
If that is true, the experience is deeply controversial.
Publishing genes of this nature is illegal in many countries, including the United States, and according to Caixin, such experimentation is also banned by a Chinese regulatory body.
More than 120 Chinese scientists have signed a letter condemning He's claim.
"The project completely ignored the principles of biomedical ethics, conducting experiments on human beings without proving that it was safe," said Qiu Zilong, a researcher in neuroscience at the Chinese Academy. Shanghai Science, who wrote the letter.
"We can only describe such behavior as crazy."
According to the South China Morning Post, the letter was published on Monday on social media and signed by scientists from some of China's largest research universities, such as Peking University and Tsinghua, as well as from the University of Beijing. foreign institutions, including Stanford in the United States. Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research.
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