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HONG KONG: A Chinese scientist at the center of an ethical storm over what he claims to be the first genetically modified babies in the world said yesterday that he was proud of his work and had revealed that one another volunteer is pregnant as part of the research.
Professor He Jiankui, associate professor at Southern University Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China, addressed nearly 700 people at the Human Genome Publishing Summit at the University of Hong Kong .
"For this case, I'm proud, I'm most proud," said Professor He.
"This study has been submitted to a scientific review for review," he said of his self-funded research, without naming the journal. He also added that his university was not aware of his studies.
In videos posted online this week, Professor He said he used a gene modification technology called CRISPR-Cas9 to modify the embryonic genes of binoculars born this month.
He added that gene editing would help protect girls from HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
But scientists and the Chinese government denounced the discovery, and a hospital linked to the research suggested that its ethical approval had been forged.
CRISPR-Cas9 allows scientists to cut and paste DNA, raising the hope of genetic solutions for the disease. However, there are concerns about security and ethics.
The Chinese Society of Cell Biology on Tuesday condemned any application of gene editing on human embryos for reproductive purposes and said that this was contrary to China's law and medical ethics. – REUTERS
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