World's First Genetically Edited Babies Created in China: CRISPR

A Chinese scientist claims to have created the world's first genetically-edited babies. The DNA of the twins was edited using CRISPR to prevent them from contracting HIV in the future.

A Chinese scientist claims that he has succeeded in creating the world's first genetically-edited babies, in a potentially ground-breaking and controversial medical breakthrough.

He Jiankui announced that the twin girls Lulu and Nana had been born after having their DNA 'edited' to prevent them contracting HIV in future.

The Breakthrough of 2015 - CRISPR
CRISPR is a gene editing tool that is revolutionizing medical care with prospective cure for genetic diseases like cancer, diabetes, DMD, eye diseases, obesity.

‘A Chinese scientist claims to have created the world's first genetically-edited babies. The DNA of the twins was edited using CRISPR to prevent them from contracting HIV in the future.’
Read More..

The professor who was graduated at Stanford in the US and works from a laboratory in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, stated that the DNA of the twins was modified using CRISPR, a technique which allows experts to remove and replace a strand with pinpoint precision.

He said that the babies were born through regular IVF, but using an egg, which was specially modified before being implanted into the womb.

"Right after transferring her husband's sperm into her egg, an embryologist sent in CRISPR/Cas9 protein and instructions to perform a gene surgery expected to protect the girls from future HIV infection," he added.

Gene Editing Tool Crispr-Cas9 Corrects Mutations In Muscular Dystrophy Patients
Myoediting technique used along with gene-editing technology CRISPR-Cas9 can restore dystrophin protein in patients affected with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

A US scientist stated that he took part in the work in China, but this kind of gene editing is banned in the United States due to risks that altered DNA will warp other genes.

These potentially dangerous alterations may then be passed down to future generations too.

Advertisements

Gene Editing Technology can Predict Heart Disease Risk Accurately
Heart disease risk can be predicted accurately by combining stem cell and gene editing technologies, as they help predict those gene variants that increase the risk of heart disease.

The claims come ahead of a conference of world scientists in Hong Kong, where He is expected to report more details. But, there is still no fair verification of his claims.

Source-Medindia

Gene Editing - Potential Treatment for Sickle Cell Disease
Gene editing is a potential treatment for sickle cell disease, states a research presented at the 2018 AAAS Annual Meeting.