The creator of the first genetically modified humans

He Jiankui, was the creator of the world's first genetically modified children. He Jiankui now draws attention to respect for these children, he says he doesn't want to see children being disturbed for scientific research purposes.

Below you will see more information about the first humans genetically modified.

The first genetically modified children

He Jiankui, created the first three genetically modified children in mid-2018 and 2019. He Jiankui said that children nowadays are living happily with their parents.

In an interview with the South China Morning Post, he said, “They have a normal, peaceful and undisturbed life. This is their wish and we must respect them.”

He further added that he does not want to see children being harassed for research purposes. And then he said: “the happiness of children and their families must come first”.

Does He Jiankui worry about genetically modified children?

When He Jiankui was asked about worrying about his children's future, he reported that his feelings were like the concern every parent would have for their children's future. He added: "You'll have high expectations of them, but you'll also have huge discomfort."

The World's Shock at He Jiankui's Creation

In 2018, when he announced his creation of two genetically engineered twins named Lulu and Nana, 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 CRISPR-Cas9 gene tool to rewrite the CCR5 gene, which confers resistance to HIV due to its genetic mutation. A low percentage of people who are born with the mutation may be immune to HIV infection.

After an unpublished study done by him and collaborators, on the human experiment, they stated that the CCR5 genes of the twins were "successfully edited" and were expected to have full or at least partial resistance against the HIV.

However, some scientists who read the study said that the data of the researchers who did the research did not supported their own claims, according to excerpts from the report reviewed by the MIT Technology Review in December. of 2019.