We all knew that researchers in China modified the DNA of human embryos, but not only that, research team led by Yong Fan at Guangzhou Medical University use CRISPR/Cas9 to introduce HIV-resistance into the embryos.
They collected atleast 213 fertilized human eggs for the study, but seemed that they are unsuitable in vitro fertilization because it contains extra set of chromosomes. Of the 26 embryos targeted, there’s only four that are successfully modified without experiencing mutations.
Although there’s a lot of technical difficulties in doing precision editing in human embryo cells, humans that are HIV-resistant will take that tentative steps.
Other scientists criticized those experiment involving modifying human embryos that they shouldn’t be ‘playing’ with it but the scientists defend their research and said that they weren’t trying to treat a genetic disease.
They defend that they are adding an immunity to a virus. And it looks like a vaccination that is done at genetic level.
And if this technology reach its clinical stage, it can be use to eliminate all sorts of genetic disease.
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