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Chinese Scientist Says He's First To Create Genetically Modified Babies Using CRISPR (npr.org)

Posted by msmash on from the how-about-that dept.

For the first time, a scientist claims to have used a powerful new gene-editing technique to create genetically modified human babies. From a report: The scientist, He Jiankui of the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China, says he used human embryos modified with the gene-editing technique CRISPR to create twin girls. "Two beautiful little Chinese girls name Lulu and Nana came crying into the world as healthy as any other babies a few weeks ago." He says in a video posted online. "The babies are home now with their mom Grace and their dad Mark." He says his team performed "gene surgery" on embryos created from their parents' sperm and eggs to protect the children from the human immunodeficiency virus, HIV, which causes AIDS. The children' father is HIV-positive. "When Lulu and Nana were just a single cell, this surgery removed a doorway through which HIV enter to infect people," He says in the video, one of several posted online to justify and explain the work. Because the research has not yet been published in a scientific journal or carefully vetted by other scientists, many researchers and bioethicists remain cautious about the claim.

3 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. Hate to sound like this but.... by DalM · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't trust any science claims coming out of China anymore.

    1. Re:Hate to sound like this but.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      The first comment wasn't racist, but yours is.

      And I have experienced what you describe (specifically students from China in my MS curriculum). What I found to be the common denominator among the ones I spoke with was that they came from wealthy families, and didn't make it into any of the most prestigious Chinese universities.

      So perhaps what you noticed is that a self selected group of wealthy kids who were not smart enough or connected enough to get into their preferred university end up not being the best students in your university. Big surprise.

  2. Re: Very unlikely by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Indeed. Innate resistance to HIV is well known. The gene that causes it has been identified, and 23andMe will even tell you if you have that gene.

    With an HIV positive dad, the benefit to these GMO babies outweighs the risks.