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A Chinese scientist said that gene editing would help protect girls from HIV infection
A Chinese scientist at the center of a storm Ethical about what he claims to be the first genetically modified babies in the world, said Wednesday He is proud of his work and revealed that another volunteer is pregnant as part of the research.
He Jiankui, badociate professor at the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, delivered a speech in front of a packed audience of about 700 people. Summit on the Human Genome Edition at the University of Hong Kong.
"In this case, I am proud, and I am most proud," he said, challenged by many of his peers at the conference.
"This study has been submitted to a scientific review for review," he said.He did not name the newspaper and said his university was not aware of his study
He, who said that his work was self-financing, ignored the concerns that the research was conducted in secret, explaining that he had engaged the scientific community for the past three years.
In videos posted online this week, he said he used a gene editing technology, CRISPR-Cas9, to tweak the embryonic genes of binoculars born this month.
Protecting Girls Against 39, HIV infection, the virus that causes AIDS.
But scientists and the Chinese government have denounced the work that he said he has done and a hospital related to his research suggested that his ethical approval was forged 19659004] The m Conference organizer, Robin Lovell-Badge, said the summit's organizers were not aware of the story until the case went off this week.
CRISPR-Cas9 is a technology that essentially allows scientists to cut and paste DNA, which gives hope for sustainable genetics. s for the disease. However, there are concerns about safety and ethics.
In a statement released Tuesday, the Chinese Society of Cell Biology strongly condemned any use of gene editing on human embryos for reproductive purposes and said that it was against the law and to the medical ethics of China. .
More than 100 scientists, mainly in China, said in an open letter that the use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology to modify human embryo genes was dangerous and unjustified. "The Pandora's box has been opened," they said.
He specializes in genomic sequencing, bioinformatics, and genome editing, according to his biography published on the summit's website.
He earned his PhD at Rice University in Houston, Texas. , and worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Stephen Quake's lab at Stanford University, according to the site.
CONTINUING STUDY
He was opposed to gene enhancement and indicated that eight couples had been originally enrolled for his study, while another had been dropped. outside. The criteria required that the father be HIV-positive and that the mother be HIV-positive.
David Baltimore, President Emeritus; After his speech, biology professor Robert Andrews Millikan said it was irresponsible to have proceeded until security issues were resolved.
"I do not think it's a transparent process, it was discovered only afterwards, and the children are born," he said. he declares.
He Jiankui said that his results could be used for millions of people suffering from inherent diseases. He said that he would monitor both newborns for the next 18 years and hoped that they would support continued surveillance afterwards.
Shenzhen Harmonicare Medical Holdings Limited, reported by the media as being involved in the He project, tried to distance itself by stating that the hospital would never be
In a statement released on Tuesday at the Stock Exchange from Hong Kong, the group indicated that preliminary investigations had indicated that the signatures on the application form had been circulated on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. internet "are believed to have been forged and no relevant meeting of the hospital's medical ethics committee has actually taken place".
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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