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<\/div>Spotted<\/h2>
After Chinese scientist He Jiankui shocked the scientific community<\/a> by announcing last month that he had edited the genes of human babies, he mysteriously vanished<\/a>.<\/p> And now he’s been found. The New York Times<\/em> reports that<\/a> guards are holding He in a guesthouse at his university, the Southern University of Science and Technology. It’s unclear whether the guards work for the Chinese government, the university, or another organization — but their presence is the latest sign that He’s transgressive research upset the delicate balance of the genetics research community and regulatory systems, prompting retaliation from powerful interests.<\/p> The Chinese government condemned He’s work<\/a> after he announced it, launching an investigation and banning him from continuing his research<\/a>. What was unclear, however, was whether He’s disappearance was a result of him laying low or being held somewhere.<\/p> Now the Times<\/em> has found that He is staying at a university guesthouse normally used to house visiting scholars, where a dozen plainclothes guards refused to identify themselves to a Times<\/em> reporter. He is able to communicate over email and phone calls, according to the Times<\/em>, and has corresponded with business colleagues.<\/p> “He was extremely irresponsible to the employees, partners and investors,” said Liu Chaoyu, with whom He co-founded the gene-testing company Vienomics, in an interview with the Times<\/em>. Liu last saw He the day before the conference at which he disclosed the existence of the gene-edited babies. “He did not discuss anything with us before he made his announcement and we had to deal with all of it unexpectedly.”<\/p> The university and Shenzhen police both declined to comment to the Times<\/em>. In fact, all employees of the university have been barred from speaking to the press, according to a message obtained by the paper.<\/p> What’s clear is that He’s unprecedented work sent shockwaves not just through the research ecosystem but through the powerful machinery of international government — and as the saga of his treatment in the wake of the announcement unfolds, it could be a roadmap to the challenges other researchers would face if they follow in his footsteps.<\/p> READ MORE:<\/strong> Chinese Scientist Who Claimed to Make Genetically Edited Babies Is Kept Under Guard<\/a> [The New York Times<\/em>]<\/p> More on He Jiankui:<\/em><\/strong> Chinese Scientists Claim to Have Gene-Edited Human Babies For the First Time<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p> The post Scientist Who Gene Edited Babies Is Being Held By Mysterious Guards<\/a> appeared first on Futurism<\/a>.<\/p> Read more: Spotted After\u00a0Chinese scientist He\u00a0Jiankui\u00a0 shocked the scientific community by announcing last month that he had edited the genes of human babies,\u00a0he\u00a0 mysteriously vanished . And now he\u2019s\u00a0been found.\u00a0The\u00a0 New York Times reports that \u00a0guards are holding He in a guesthouse at his university, the Southern University of Science and Technology. It\u2019s unclear whether the guards work for the Chinese government, the university, or another organization\u00a0\u2014 but their presence is the latest sign that He\u2019s transgressive research upset the delicate balance of the genetics research community and regulatory systems, prompting retaliation from powerful interests. Continue reading Plainclothes Guards<\/h2>
Shock and Awe<\/h2>
Scientist Who Gene Edited Babies Is Being Held By Mysterious Guards<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"