The use of science and technology will never cease to amaze us. A Chinese scientist has now created the world’s first genetically modified babies, twin girls, Lulu and Nana. This is definitely one of the most controversial topics as many will claim that the scientist is trying to ‘play God.’
The scientist, He Jiankui claimed to have altered the DNA of the babies with a powerful new tool capable of rewriting the very blueprint of life. Jiankui of Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, said he altered embryos for seven couples during fertility treatments, with one pregnancy resulting so far. He said his goal was not to cure or prevent an inherited disease, but to try to bestow a trait that few people naturally have; the ability to resist possible future infection with HIV.
According to the scientist, the gene editing occurred during in vitro fertilisation where the sperm was “washed” to separate it from semen, in which HIV can lurk. A single sperm was then placed into a single egg to create an embryo before the gene-editing tool was added.
When the embryos were three to five days old, a few cells were removed and checked for editing and couples could choose whether to use the edited or unedited embryos for pregnancy attempts. He said that 16 of 22 embryos were edited, and 11 embryos were used in six implant attempts before the twin pregnancy was achieved.
Tests suggest that one twin had both copies of the intended gene altered and the other twin had just one altered, with no immediate evidence of harm to other genes.
The news is likely to spark global outcry as people question the moral and ethical questions concerning the bombshell experiment.
He revealed it on Monday in Hong Kong to one of the organisers of an international conference on gene editing that is due to begin on Tuesday.
“I feel a strong responsibility that it’s not just to make a first, but also make it an example. Society will decide what to do next in terms of allowing or forbidding such science,” he said.
This kind of gene editing is banned in most countries as the technology is still experimental and DNA changes can pass to future generations, potentially with unforeseen side-effects. Mainstream scientists think it is too unsafe to try while others denounced the Chinese report as human experimentation.
A team at the Southern University of Science and Technology, in Shenzhen has been recruiting couples in an effort to create the first gene-edited babies. The team planned to eliminate a gene called CCR5 to make the offspring resistant to HIV, smallpox and cholera.
“I believe this is going to help the families and their children. If it caused unwanted side-effects or harm, “I would feel the same pain as they do and it’s going to be my own responsibility,” said the scientist.
Do you think genetically modified babies are a grave ethical concern or do you support the scientist?