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China is still at the center of an innovation that may not be unanimous. Researchers have announced the birth of two genetically modified babies. For the moment, this little revolution has not been verified yet, so skepticism remains in place while waiting for proof.
It's via a video posted on YouTube that the Chinese scientist He Jiankui, from the University of Shenzhen, announced the existence of first two genetically modified twins. They are called Lulu and Nana. They would be very healthy and will probably be badociated with this world premiere for a long time.
Children immunized against AIDS?
What was the purpose of this experiment? The researchers said they modified the CCR5 gene to make it resistant to HIV. Jiankui and his team introduced into embryos, during in vitro fertilization, a synthetic protein that would allow to immunize the person facing the AIDS virus.
For this, they used powerful molecular scissors known as the somewhat barbaric CRISPR / Cas9. They simply allow you to remove and then replace parts of the DNA of an individual.
The results have not yet been verified by an independent body
In total, the embryos of seven couples participated in this experiment, but only one of them has resulted in a pregnancy to date. So there is still a long way to go, even if " Lulu and Nana are as fit as any baby ". We can imagine that the birth of these binoculars is just the beginning for the Chinese research laboratory.
What is certain is that The critics will probably be many following this experience. The Washington Post was quick to make big reservations about this revolution. At the moment, no independent entity has been able to verify the results announced by He Jiankui. Changing the DNA of a human being is still frowned upon and the practice is also prohibited in the US.
Source: CNet
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