Rice U. will investigate a professor who says he's been working on the first genetic modification of babies

Daderot / Wikimedia via Creative Commons

Rice U says he's going to investigate the claim of a professor who allegedly participated in the very first birth of genetically modified babies.

The Rice University announced Monday that it was investigating a professor of physics and bioengineering who told The Associated Press that he had helped a Chinese researcher create the first genetically modified babies.

The professor, Michael W. Deem, told the press service that he was in China when the participants gave their consent to the experiment, whose collaborator, He Jiankui, would have resulted in the birth of binoculars. Deem was a He's advisor at Rice, and the couple worked together on the project, reported Associated Press. His lab is located at China's Southern Science and Technology University in Shenzhen, but the university says he is on leave without pay, according to the AP.

Rice, a private research university in Houston, described the research as "troubling scientific, legal, and ethical issues." A spokesman said in a written statement to The Chronicle On Monday, Rice would investigate Deem's involvement in the project. The university had no knowledge of this work, the statement said.

"To Rice's knowledge, none of the clinical work has been done in the United States," the statement said. "No matter where it was conducted, this work, as described in the press releases, violates the guidelines of scientific conduct and is inconsistent with the ethical standards of the scientific community and Rice University. "

Deem did not respond to requests for comments. A spokesman confirmed Monday that Deem was still employed by Rice.

No independent scientist has confirmed his request, and the work has not been published, the Associated Press reported, adding that some outside scientists called it ethically indefensible.

He Jiankui told the Associated Press that their attempts to modify the embryos were designed to enable them to resist a possible HIV infection. According to the Associated Press, he practiced editing genes on mouse, monkey and human embryos.

Deem's research group at Rice focuses on immune responses to viruses and vaccines with multiple or varied strains, among others. Deem told the Associated Press that he had a "small stake" in and advised the two genetic companies from Shenzhen, in Shenzhen.

Lindsay Ellis is a journalist. Follow her on Twitter @lindsayaellis, or write to him at [email protected].