He Jiankui was the creator of the world’s first genetically engineered children. He Jiankui now points out that these children are respected, he does not want children to be disturbed for scientific research purposes.
Below is more information about the first humans genetically changed.
The first genetically modified children
He Jiankui created the first three genetically engineered children in mid2018 and 2019. He Jiankui said that nowadays children live happily with their parents.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post, he said, “They lead normal, peaceful and undisturbed lives. That is their wish and we have to respect them.”
He added that he does not want children to be molested for research purposes. And then he said: “The happiness of the children and their families must come first”.
Is He Jiankui worried about genetically modified children?
When asked if he was worried about his children’s future, He Jiankui reported that his feelings were similar to the concern any parent would have about their children’s future. He added, “You will have high expectations of her, but you will also have tremendous unease.”
The shock of the world at the creation of He Jiankui
When he announced his creation of two genetically engineered twins named Lulu and Nana in 2018, he stunned the world. But the following year the third child named Amy was born, also born in China.
To create the children, he used the CRISPRCas9 gene tool to rewrite the CCR5 gene, which confers resistance to HIV due to its genetic mutation. A small percentage of people born with the mutation may be immune to HIV infection.
After an unprecedented study by him and his collaborators on the human experiment, they stated that the twins’ CCR5 genes had been “successfully edited” and are expected to show full or at least partial resistance to the virus. HIV.
However, some scientists who read the study said the data from the researchers who conducted the research did not support their own claims, according to excerpts from the report, republished by MIT Technology Review in December 2019.