Human gene scientist suspended

He Jiankui’s experiment gives rise to questions and debates

Beijing: He Jiankui (pic), the Chinese researcher who claimed to have created the world’s first gene-edited babies, has been suspended from any scientific activities amid mounting questions from government agencies and academicians about the experiment.

In a fertilised human egg cell, He sought to disable a gene that forms a protein doorway that allows the HIV virus to enter, intending to make the resulting person resistant to HIV.

“The case, as media have reported, is a blatant violation of China’s laws and regulations, and it breaks the bottom line of academic morality and ethics,” Xu Nanping, vice-minister of science and technology, said on Thursday in an interview with China Central Television.

Xu said the ministry has ordered relevant authorities to suspend all scientific activity of people involved with the case, and will mete out punishments together based on the results of the investigation.

Zeng Yixin, vice-minister of the National Health Commission, said on Thursday that the commission has paid close attention to the reports and has sent a working group to assist in the probe. He is based in Shenzhen, whose government joined Guangdong provincial authorities in an investigative group.

With the rapid development of science and technology, the research and application of science must be more responsible and follow technical and ethical norms, Zeng said.

He, an associate professor at the Shenzhen-based Southern University of Science and Technology, announced that twin girls Lulu and Nana were born healthy earlier this month after in vitro fertilisation.