- A Chinese scientist on Wednesday made his first public comments about his claim to have helped make the world's first gene-edited babies.
- The work is highly controversial because the changes can be passed to future generations and could harm other genes.
- He says he altered the DNA of twin girls when they were conceived to try to help them resist possible future infection with the AIDS virus.
A Chinese scientist on Wednesday made his first public comments about his claim to have helped make the world's first gene-edited babies.
He Jiankui of Shenzhen detailed the work that he said led to the births earlier this month of twin girls whose DNA he altered when they were conceived.
The work is highly controversial because the changes can be passed to future generations and could harm other genes.
He spoke Wednesday at a conference on gene editing in Hong Kong, the first time he's discussed his experiment in a public venue.
He says he altered the DNA of twin girls when they were conceived to try to help them resist possible future infection with the AIDS virus.
Harvard Medical School dean Dr. George Daley says it would be unfortunate if a misstep with a first case led scientists and regulators to reject the good that could come from altering DNA to treat or prevent diseases.
Daley spoke Wednesday at an international conference in Hong Kong, where Jiankui also is scheduled to speak.
SEE ALSO: A Chinese scientist claims he used a controversial gene-editing tool to alter the embryos of twin girls that were just born A Chinese researcher claims that he helped make the world's first genetically edited babies — twin girls born in November — using CRISPR, a powerful gene-editing tool.
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