Twin girls (Lulu and Nana) were born this month in China and they might be making a history. Applying CRISPR-cas9 to disable the CCR5 gene, which plays a key role in HIV infection, Jiankui He revealed details about the “surgery” in an exclusive interview with AP released on Monday.
At Shenzhen
According to AP, He studied at Rice and Stanford before going back to China. He opened a lab at Southern University of Science and Technology (SUST) of in Shenzhen, where he also has two genetics companies.
He has been on leave from teaching since early this year, but he remains on the faculty and has a lab at SUST.
Partner
The U.S. scientist who worked with him on this project after He returned to China was physics and bioengineering professor Michael Deem, who was his adviser at Rice in Houston. Deem also holds what he called “a small stake” in — and is on the scientific advisory boards of — He’s two companies.
All about making a headline and a history?
The motivation to prevent HIV is good, and justifiable according to George Church. But for many stakeholders in this case, other things come into play. It is political.
“Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing” was to held in Hong Kong from Nov.27 to Nov.29 (Beijing time). The He Lab uploaded videos on YouTube on Nov.26. No coincident.
Things like this could have been discussed thoroughly beforehand. Why is that related parties are “shocked” now?
The plan could have been reported months ago and open to comments/discussions. Why is that no industry associations are aware of anything?
Even the news and YouTube videos could have been written and released the day after the twin was born. Why waiting?
I believe in the future of gene editing; and it will eventually be used in humans, babies and embryos someday. But how this particular news unfolds makes me kinda uncomfortable.
It is understandable that someone (not only about He) wants to make a history, wants to be the “first”.
It is as well understandable that some others are not happy that the “first” title has been stolen.
…
But I would rather see science & technology less political and less about fame, making history or setting standards/principles.
When science & technology are being pursued largely for showing off, it is pathetic.
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