Skip to main content

Chinese government may have helped fund controversial CRISPR babies experiment

The controversial “CRISPR babies” experiment in China might have been carried out with the support of the Chinese government. According to a report by STAT, three governmental institutions — including China’s science ministry — may have contributed funding to the gene-altering experiments, which were harshly criticized by the international scientific community.

STAT claims to have seen a slide presentation prepared by researcher He Jiankui and his team. It listed funding sources for the experiment including China’s Ministry of Science and Technology, Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission, and Southern University of Science and Technology, where He was employed. While it is possible that these institutions were not aware of how their grant money was being used, if they did have knowledge of this it would mean that China funded research widely condemned as unethical.

News of the experiments first broke toward the end of last year. In November, Jiankui announced that he had overseen an experiment leading to the birth of twin girls, Lulu and Nana, who had undergone gene alterations. Since then, a second pregnancy has been confirmed by China’s official Xinhua news agency. In total, eight volunteer couples signed up to the trial. One couple dropped out during proceedings. Data submitted as part of the trial suggests that genetic testing was carried out on fetuses as old as six months.

The aim of the project was to modify human embryos in order to eliminate a gene called CCR5. This gene is thought to be responsible for potentially fatal diseases including HIV, smallpox, and cholera. A recent report suggests that the research may also have impacted on the cognition and memory of the gene-altered infants.

A previous investigation by China’s Guangdong provincial health commission concluded that He Jiankui had acted alone, and raised funding without official endorsements. It also claimed that He had forged an “informed consent” form and violated Chinese regulations. Both the Shenzhen government and the university He was employed at denied knowledge of the CRISPR baby experiments. If it turns out that, in fact, He Jiankui was supported by China’s government, this whole case suddenly becomes even more complex than it already is.

Editors' Recommendations

Luke Dormehl
I'm a UK-based tech writer covering Cool Tech at Digital Trends. I've also written for Fast Company, Wired, the Guardian…
Controversial CRISPR baby experiment may have resulted in brain enhancements
CRISPR gene-editing technology

China’s CRISPR baby saga continues to rage on. After the birth of gene-edited twins in China last year, and the reported pregnancy of a second woman, the world’s scientific community voiced their shock at what sounds (provided it’s accurate) like an ethical nightmare. Now scientists have expressed concerns that the procedure may also have resulted in changes in the babies’ brains that could affect cognition and memory.

The genetic modifications were intended to eliminate a gene called CCR5, thought to be responsible for potentially fatal diseases including HIV, smallpox, and cholera. A newly published research paper in the journal Cell suggests that CCR5 manipulation can additionally lead to enhanced recovery after brain injury, including motor recovery following strokes. While this has only been demonstrated (outside of China) in mouse models, the findings could conceivably be applicable in human subjects. It is not clear whether Chinese researcher He Jiankui was trying to modify the intelligence of his subjects with his controversial experimentation.

Read more
The CRISPR baby saga continues as China confirms second gene-edited pregnancy
china crispr human cancer trial gene editing ala cas9

China’s official Xinhua news agency has confirmed that a second woman has become pregnant as part of a controversial experiment to create the world’s first CRISPR genetically edited babies. The scientist responsible for the work has since been fired by the university he was working for, which claims he “illegally conducted the research in the pursuit of personal fame and gain.”

Researcher He Jiankui made waves last year when it was announced that he had overseen an experiment leading to the birth of twin girls, Lulu and Nana, who had undergone gene alterations. The aim of the project was to modify human embryos to eliminate a gene called CCR5, thought to be responsible for potentially fatal diseases including HIV, smallpox, and cholera. Data submitted as part of the trial indicated that genetic testing has been conducted on fetuses as old as six months, dating back as far as March 2017. In total, eight volunteer couples consisting of HIV-positive fathers and HIV-negative mothers signed up to the trial. One couple dropped out during proceedings.

Read more
The best portable power stations
EcoFlow DELTA 2 on table at campsite for quick charging.

Affordable and efficient portable power is a necessity these days, keeping our electronic devices operational while on the go. But there are literally dozens of options to choose from, making it abundantly difficult to decide which mobile charging solution is best for you. We've sorted through countless portable power options and came up with six of the best portable power stations to keep your smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other gadgets functioning while living off the grid.
The best overall: Jackery Explorer 1000

Jackery has been a mainstay in the portable power market for several years, and today, the company continues to set the standard. With three AC outlets, two USB-A, and two USB-C plugs, you'll have plenty of options for keeping your gadgets charged.

Read more