CRISPR-baby scientist fired by university • Hacker News Board

Re: CRISPR-baby scientist fired by university

#11

Post by stupidprizes » Wed, Jan 23, 2019, 3:10 AM UTC

foo101 wrote: post #5

> The investigation also found that He’s experiment ran counter to national regulations forbidding people with HIV from using assisted reproduction — an allegation reported for the first time in the Xinhua article. What is the rationale behind this regulation? Is it that the baby is likely to be infected with HIV or is there some other reason?

>What is the rationale behind this regulation?

Unknown to me

>Is it that the baby is likely to be infected with HIV or is there some other reason?

With modern medicine the baby can survive birth without getting infected.

Re: CRISPR-baby scientist fired by university

#12

Post by daveFNbuck » Wed, Jan 23, 2019, 3:11 AM UTC

porpoisely wrote: post #6

I've read that He self-funded the project. Anyone know if he comes from wealth or how he got the funds to run a team of scientists? Also, it's interesting that he was a trained physicist who turned to gene modification experiments. Is CRISPR and gene editing the popular draw in academia and research? I've always assumed academics mainly stayed in their lane, so to speak. As for the ethics, if gene editing research is…

Gene editing research is being carried out in public universities. It's not yet at the point where edited human embryos are carried to term.

Re: CRISPR-baby scientist fired by university

#13

Post by jrumbut » Wed, Jan 23, 2019, 3:15 AM UTC

foo101 wrote: post #5

> The investigation also found that He’s experiment ran counter to national regulations forbidding people with HIV from using assisted reproduction — an allegation reported for the first time in the Xinhua article. What is the rationale behind this regulation? Is it that the baby is likely to be infected with HIV or is there some other reason?

I have no idea what their actual rationale is, but many STIs including HIV can be passed from mother to newborn.

With an intensive treatment regimen the risk can be made very low: https://aidsinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv-aids/fact-sheets/...

Re: CRISPR-baby scientist fired by university

#14

Post by jostmey » Wed, Jan 23, 2019, 3:17 AM UTC

api wrote: post #4

jostmey wrote: post #2

Direct gene editing was invented about 45 years ago. I am surprised, even shocked, that no one tried this until now. CRISPR has certainly made it easier to do, but other techniques have existed since the 70s. He Jiankui is being vilified now, but I wonder how history will remember him (if at all)

I am not at all opposed to the idea of gene editing, but I wonder if the issue here isn't that he didn't have proper medical authorization to do this. Most countries have laws against cowboy medicine for a reason.

If you seek medical authorization, you will find that no one will approve it

Re: CRISPR-baby scientist fired by university

#15

Post by state_less » Wed, Jan 23, 2019, 3:20 AM UTC

I feel like this turns babies into technology. We might have version 1 where babies aren't likely to get HIV or some other malady. Next round, perhaps we'll see more height, different skin color, increased intelligence. If it's like any other product, it appears babies would be coming out of a factory and with tiers for different features you can buy based on your purchasing power. Sort of like buying an iPhone except with babies.

Commercializing children doesn't seem right, but then should the technology be held back and children be damned to suffer for the sake of keeping the status quo? Is there a just way to deal with this?

Re: CRISPR-baby scientist fired by university

#16

Post by bilbo0s » Wed, Jan 23, 2019, 3:23 AM UTC

state_less wrote: post #15

I feel like this turns babies into technology. We might have version 1 where babies aren't likely to get HIV or some other malady. Next round, perhaps we'll see more height, different skin color, increased intelligence. If it's like any other product, it appears babies would be coming out of a factory and with tiers for different features you can buy based on your purchasing power. Sort of like buying an iPhone excep…

The worst part is that by the time they were in Kindergarten, the newer models would obsolete them.

Bigger, faster, stronger, and MUCH smarter! Now 10% off!

Re: CRISPR-baby scientist fired by university

#17

Post by xiphias2 » Wed, Jan 23, 2019, 3:28 AM UTC

cheeze wrote: post #7

Does anybody really believe that China is upholding strong ethical standards here? Sure the uni dumped this guy, but I'd assume there is a large project that the government is at minimum aware of to edit genes.

There are of course worse projects. He was just unlucky that the government made an example of him. Still, probably people in Chinese healthcare research will be more careful from now on probably.

Re: CRISPR-baby scientist fired by university

#18

Post by CBLT » Wed, Jan 23, 2019, 3:29 AM UTC

bilbo0s wrote: post #16

state_less wrote: post #15

I feel like this turns babies into technology. We might have version 1 where babies aren't likely to get HIV or some other malady. Next round, perhaps we'll see more height, different skin color, increased intelligence. If it's like any other product, it appears babies would be coming out of a factory and with tiers for different features you can buy based on your purchasing power. Sort of like buying an iPhone excep…

The worst part is that by the time they were in Kindergarten, the newer models would obsolete them. Bigger, faster, stronger, and MUCH smarter! Now 10% off!

I think that a newer generation having advantages over a previous one doesn't mean any improvement of our stature is forbidden.

Re: CRISPR-baby scientist fired by university

#19

Post by songco » Wed, Jan 23, 2019, 3:37 AM UTC

bilbo0s wrote: post #16

state_less wrote: post #15

I feel like this turns babies into technology. We might have version 1 where babies aren't likely to get HIV or some other malady. Next round, perhaps we'll see more height, different skin color, increased intelligence. If it's like any other product, it appears babies would be coming out of a factory and with tiers for different features you can buy based on your purchasing power. Sort of like buying an iPhone excep…

The worst part is that by the time they were in Kindergarten, the newer models would obsolete them. Bigger, faster, stronger, and MUCH smarter! Now 10% off!

It's ok and good thing if the results is only positive like "Bigger, faster, stronger, and MUCH smarter". (Maybe not include Bigger?)

The worst part of this is that it may not safe. If this introduced some flaws in the babies gene, how to control this, don't allow them have babies?

Re: CRISPR-baby scientist fired by university

#20

Post by AlphaWeaver » Wed, Jan 23, 2019, 3:37 AM UTC

I know this is the current title of the article, but would it possible to entitled the article "He Jiankui (CRISPR-baby scientist) fired by university"? While I'll refrain from commenting on his work, he is a real person and has a name...