Chinese scientist under fire after claiming manipulation of his DNA: "disturbed"

In an open letter, 122 Chinese colleagues of He gave up the experience forcefully. "Performing such experiments on humans can only be described as disrupted," they write. "Pandora's box has been opened and we may have a very small chance to close it before it's too late."

The Deputy Minister of Science and Technology stated that he was shocked to hear of his claim. "We do not know yet whether the work is real or fictitious, if it is really the case, it is absolutely forbidden in China," he said.

Two biogenetic professional organizations in China also expressed their concerns. Newborn girls run a "huge security risk". "We believe that it goes against the Chinese rules and the international scientific consensus."

No transparency on research

He would have used the CRISPR-cas9 technique for his groundbreaking research, with which a single gene could be cut to be replaced by another gene. This method is so new that we still do not know what the long-term effects are. If the twins then have children themselves, the modified DNA may be transmitted, with unknown consequences.

The New York Times writes that the researcher held a presentation in New York at the end of August on modifying the gene that he was before. would have replaced. At that time, he did not just mention that he had implanted a woman among these modified embryos.

Several biogeneticists, among them one of the founders of the CRISPR-cas9 technique, call it risky what it did. Also because he is not transparent in his research. He did not check it by colleagues from other universities. Nor is it published in a scientific journal.

Tomorrow, He Jiankui will give a lecture at an international conference on genetic modification in Hong Kong. He should arrive there with more details.