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Biologists who last year made a blockbuster — but controversial — claim that they had fixed a disease-causing mutation in human embryos using CRISPR gene editing have released fresh evidence in support of their work. Critics argued that the researchers’ evidence wasn’t persuasive and that the feat did not seem biologically plausible, intensifying the existing controversy surrounding the use of gene editing in human embryos to prevent diseases.
Now, a year after the study was published in Nature1, its authors, led by reproductive biologist Shoukhrat Mitalipov at the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, have backed up their claims with new data2, published on 8 August alongside a pair of letters critiquing the original results.3,4.
Whatever happens next, it is likely that questions about whether it is possible to repair mutations in human embryos will persist until other researchers can repeat the feat — no easy task in a field that is strictly regulated, and even illegal in some countries.
Did CRISPR really fix a genetic mutation in these human embryos?
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 10 2018, @10:33AM (4 children)
Not fixing something like downs syndrome is morally equivalent to genetically engineering your child to have it.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 10 2018, @11:01AM (1 child)
I doubt you could fix Down's with CRISPR since it is more than just a bad gene. Instead it's an entire chromosome that is duplicated (present as a triple).
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 10 2018, @11:24AM
Good point, but I didn't specifically intend to make a point about either down's or CRISPR. At present off target effects provide sufficient concern to make using CRISPR on cells which will become gametes a bad idea anyway. The intended point applies just as much to screening for the sake of abortion as genetic engineering. I was just triggered by being reminded that it's controversial to heal people in this way.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 10 2018, @10:31PM (1 child)
Using your logic, we're a generation away from a negro-free Anerica?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 11 2018, @10:38PM
Allowing a baby to be born black is morally equivalent to ensuring it is born black.
I see no problem with ensuring a baby is a particular race, provided that it'll live in a society which treats that race well.