Stanford clears faculty members in gene-edited baby inquiry

By: Marilynn Marchione, The Associated Press Posted: Last Modified:

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Stanford University has cleared three faculty members of any wrongdoing in dealings with a Chinese scientist who claims to have helped make the world's first gene-edited babies.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/04/2019 (2698 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Stanford University has cleared three faculty members of any wrongdoing in dealings with a Chinese scientist who claims to have helped make the world’s first gene-edited babies.

In a statement Tuesday, Stanford said the faculty members did not participate in or have financial or other ties to the work by the scientist, He Jiankui, (JEEN’-qway) and had discouraged him from pursuing it.

The Chinese scientist has said he altered the genes of twin girls when they were embryos to try to give them protection against possible future infection with the AIDS virus. Scientists worldwide have condemned the work as unethical and medically unnecessary.

FILE - In this Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018 file photo, He Jiankui speaks during the Human Genome Editing Conference in Hong Kong. On Tuesday, April 17, 2019, Stanford University said they had cleared three faculty members of any wrongdoing in dealings with He who claims to have helped make the world's first gene-edited babies. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
FILE - In this Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018 file photo, He Jiankui speaks during the Human Genome Editing Conference in Hong Kong. On Tuesday, April 17, 2019, Stanford University said they had cleared three faculty members of any wrongdoing in dealings with He who claims to have helped make the world's first gene-edited babies. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

A spokesman for Rice University in Houston says that school is continuing to investigate the possible role of one of its faculty members.

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