Columbia Scientists Achieve First Precise Gene Editing in Human Embryos
By
Carl Zimmer
All dough, no crust. Filling but forgettable.
Summary
Scientists at Columbia University have achieved precise gene editing in early human embryos using a newer technique, marking a first in accuracy. The breakthrough could enable repairing disease-causing mutations in embryos but also raises ethical concerns about selecting desired traits, which some ethicists compare to eugenics. Lead researcher Dieter Egli called for a public conversation about the implications of the technology.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledDieter Egli, a geneticist at Columbia University who led the research, called for a public conversation about the...
The prospect has fueled controversy for years.
On the one hand, the technology might one day enable parents to safely repair disease-causing mutations in embryos. But it might also be used to select desired traits — a practice that some ethicists have argued is nothing short of eugenics.
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