[ad_1]
Scientists and bioethics experts reacted with astonishment, anger and concern after a Chinese researcher announced that he had helped create the world's first genetically modified baby.
He Jiankui of the University of Science and Technology of China said that she had modified the DNA of twins born at the beginning of this month to try to help them to resist a future HIV infection that causes HIV, an ethically and scientifically questionable goal.
Nobody else has confirmed what he said and was not published in a newspaper in which the experts can l & # 39; badyze.
Article
The Lulu and Nana twins, born a few weeks ago, present a genetic modification that makes them supposedly resistant to diseases such as HIV, cholera and smallpox
The scientific community reacts quickly and brutally.
More than 100 scientists signed a petition calling for increased monitoring of gene editing experiments. The university in which he worked indicated that he would hire experts to investigate, claiming that the work "seriously violated ethics and academic standards".
A spokesman for He said that since the beginning of the year, he had permission not to teach, but he remains at the faculty and disposes of him. a laboratory at the university. The authorities in Shenzhen, the city where the He laboratory is located, have also opened an investigation.
And the Rice University in the United States announced that it would investigate the participation of physics professor Michael Deem who claimed to have worked with He on the project in China. This type of genetic publishing is banned in the United States.
"No matter where this was done, this work as described in press reports violates scientific standards of conduct and is inconsistent with the ethical standards of the scientific community and the scientific community. Rice University. "Said the institution in a statement.
The genetic publishing is a way to rewrite the DNA code of life, to try to provide a missing gene required or to inactivate the one that causes problems . It has only been tested recently in adults to treat serious illnesses.
Article
The tokamak EST fusion reactor, dubbed the "Chinese artificial sun", reaches a temperature seven times higher than that of the interior of the sun
Changing eggs, sperm or embryos is different because it causes permanent changes that can happen to future generations. Their risks are unknown, and leading scientists have requested a suspension of their use, except in laboratory tests until more knowledge is known.
Among them are Feng Zhang and Jennifer Doudna, inventors of a new simple and powerful tool called CRISPR-cas9 that allegedly was used by Chinese babies during treatment of fertility when they were conceived.
"Not only do I consider this to be risky, but I am also very concerned about the lack of transparency" around the work, said Zhang, a scientist at MIT Broad Institute, in a statement. Advances in medicine must be discussed
Source link
