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<\/div>Disappearing Act<\/h2>
Just five days ago, it seemed like every pair of eyes in the world was fixed on He Jiankui, the researcher behind the controversial gene-editing of a pair of twin babies in China.<\/p>
On Wednesday, He took the stage at the Human Genome Editing Summit at the University of Hong Kong to present his research<\/a>, the broad strokes of which had leaked to the pres<\/a>s a few days prior. Significant backlash<\/a> from the scientific community followed, and the Chinese government itself soon banned He<\/a> from continuing his research.<\/p> Now, no one seems to know where He is.<\/p> Over the weekend, rumors circulated<\/a> that the president of the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTC), He’s former employer, forced the scientist to return to Shenzhen, China, where the university was now detaining him.<\/p> On Monday, the South China Morning Post<\/em> (SCMP<\/em>) published<\/a> a statement from SUSTC that fell short of wholly refuting the rumor.<\/p> “Right now nobody’s information is accurate, only the official channels are,” a spokesperson told SCMP<\/em>. “We cannot answer any questions regarding the matter right now, but if we have any information, we will update it through our official channels.”<\/p> He will probably turn up eventually, at which point he’ll likely need to submit to an investigation from China’s Ministry of Science and Technology.<\/p> The results of that investigation could shape the future of human gene editing — if China punishes He severely for his actions, it could deter other scientists from pursuing the “ask forgiveness, not permission” route with their own research. Leniency could have the opposite effect.<\/p> Regardless of how that investigation plays out, though, He has pushed humanity across a line that it can never uncross. We now live in a world in which the first people with CRISPR-modified genes have been born. Will they be the first and<\/em> last? Or simply the first?<\/p> READ MORE<\/strong>: University Denies ‘Chinese Frankenstein’ He Jiankui Detained Over Gene-Edited Babies Claim<\/a> [SCMP<\/em>]<\/p> More on He Jiankui: Researcher Who Gene-Edited Babies Answers Critics: “I Feel Proud”<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p> The post The Scientist Who Gene-Edited Babies Is Missing<\/a> appeared first on Futurism<\/a>.<\/p> Read more: Disappearing Act Just five days ago, it seemed like every pair of eyes in the world was fixed on\u00a0He Jiankui, the researcher behind the controversial gene-editing of a pair of twin babies in China. Continue reading Tight-Lipped<\/h2>
CRISPR Consequences<\/h2><\/div>
The Scientist Who Gene-Edited Babies Is Missing<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"