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(Newser)
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The twins are known as Lulu and Nana and, if a Chinese scientist is right, they are the first babies in the world to be born with modified genes. Researcher He Jiankui says that he has modified the embryos with CRISPR technology in the hope of making the resulting infants naturally resistant to HIV, reports the AP. His claims have not been independently confirmed and he keeps a secret about the details regarding the identity of the infants. He revealed the details to the AP in anticipation of an international conference on gene editing in Hong Kong, and also talked about his work in this video. Prior to the AP interview, MIT Technology Review had found Chinese medical documents online this month revealing details about the study, including the recruitment of couples willing to participate. Development is extremely controversial, given the debate about "designer babies".
"I feel a strong responsibility that it is not only a matter of making a first, but also an example," he told the AP. "The company will decide what to do next" in terms of similar research or imposition of restrictions. Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in California, contradicted this sentiment: "It's too premature. We are dealing with the instructions for use of a human being. The development, if confirmed, would constitute a "staggering medical achievement," according to the MIT, though with many ethical concerns. The CRISPR-cas9 editing tool has been used on adults, but any change in these cases is limited about the test. The embryo edition is another matter, says the AP, because any change could be passed on to children. (Could CRISPR help overcome cocaine addiction?)
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