Jinkui He (He Jiankui)

Jinkui He (He Jiankui)

Biography

2019: Arrest for creation of the first-ever genetically modified children

At the end of December, 2019 the Chinese court sentenced He Tszinkuya to three years of prison for creation of the first-ever genetically modified children.

Except Tszyankuya two other members of the research group making an experiment with genetic modification of human embryos and the birth of twin children from the changed DNA were condemned.

Zhang Renli who worked with He, is sentenced to two years of imprisonment and Qin Jinzhou — by a 18-month imprisonment term with a two-year delay and a fine of 500 thousand yuans is fined 1 million yuans, and.

Three defendants had no certificates which were necessary for medical practice. Aiming at glory and wealth, they intentionally broke the state regulations in the field of scientific research and treatment. They passed line of morals between scientific research and medical ethics, said in the court order which fragment gives the Xinhua agency.

According to the investigation, He of Jinkui in 2016 on own means attracted accomplices and, intentionally avoiding any supervision and control, made the experiment which is officially prohibited in the country on DNA modification.

Work was criticized in scientific community and the power. The southern scientific and technology university where Jiankui worked, next day after the declaration of results of a research issued the official statement in which it was reported that the management was not aware of work of the scientist who went on an unpaid leave. Also he was accused of causing damage of the international reputation of China in the field of genetic researches. The government of the country demanded to stop an experiment.

Critics of a research are sure that editing genes of the Chinese twins which stated purpose was an immunization them against HIV did not achieve the goal.^[1]

2018: Carrying out an experiment on the birth of the first-ever genetically modified children

At the end of November, 2018 the Chinese scientist He of  He Jiankui declared the birth of the first-ever genetically modified children. With respect thereto the government of China charged to the authorities of the Province of Guangdong to make "immediate investigation".

As told Associated Press agency He of Jinkui, it made an experiment with embryos for seven pairs, and one of them was successful. At pair girls twins with changed DNA were born. At the same time the scientist did not try to withdraw any gene or to cure children of a disease, but, on the contrary, added the gene allowing, according to him, in the future to an organism to resist to HIV infection.

The first-ever genetically modified children were born

The scientist used a normal method of editing genes CRISPR-cas9. The subsequent analysis of DNA showed that editing took place successfully, and changes affected only the necessary gene. It is about CCR5 gene: it codes the protein allowing a human immunodeficiency virus to get into a cage. The mutations in this gene providing to the carrier resistance to HIV with a small frequency are present at some human populations.

Jiankui added that it made several years similar experiments on mice, monkeys and embryos of the person in the laboratory. Data on its researches are not published and unavailable to general scientific community yet. The words of the scientist do not have independent confirmation. He only released video in which told about the achievement.

News of an experiment with human embryos sparked criticism as in China, and abroad. The authorities of Celestial Empire began investigation with a support on the laws based on the principle of responsibility for human health.

The representative of the university to Shenzhen in which the scientist worked, said that the educational institution considers an experiment gross violation of ethical standards and is shocked with information on its carrying out. ^[2]

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