Scientist who made gene-edited babies dismissed by university
BEIJING: A Chinese scientist responsible for what he said were the world’s first “geneedited” babies broke guidelines, the state media said on Monday, as the university where he worked announced his dismissal.
He Jiankui said in November that he used a gene-editing technology known as CRISPR-CAS9 to alter the embryonic genes of twin girls born that month, sparking an international outcry about the ethics and safety of such research.
The Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTECH) in the city of Shenzhen, said in a statement on its website that He had been fired. The decision came after a preliminary probe by the Guangdong Province Investigation Task Force.
Several scientists condemned He and said any application of gene editing on human embryos for reproductive purposes was unethical. Chinese authorities issued a temporary halt to research activities involving the editing of human genes.