BusinessInsider | A group of Chinese scientists just reported that they modified the
genome of human embryos, something that has never been done in the
history of the world, according to a report in Nature News.
A recent biotech discovery — one that has been called the
biggest biotech discovery of the century — showed how scientists might
be able to modify a human genome when that genome was still just in an
embryo.
This could change not only the genetic material of a person, but
could also change the DNA they pass on, removing "bad" genetic codes
(and potentially adding "good" ones) and taking an active hand in
evolution.
Concerned scientists published an argument that no one should edit the human genome in this way until we better understood the consequences after a report uncovered rumors that Chinese scientists were already working on using this technology.
But this new paper, published April 18 in the journal Protein and Cell by a Chinese group led by gene-function researcher Junjiu Huang of Sun Yat-sen University, shows
that work has already been done, and Nature News spoke to a Chinese
source that said at least four different groups are "pursuing gene editing in human embryos."
