A leading expert on developmental genetics from the Francis
Crick Institute has warned against calls for a moratorium on the
genetic editing of human embryos.
Professor Robin Lovell-Badge, a Group Leader in Stem Cell
Biology and Developmental Genetics at the Crick, was speaking
following publication of world-first research by Chinese scientists
who have genetically modified human embryos.
Using a procedure called Crispr/Cas9, the Chinese researchers
modified a faulty gene that causes beta-thalassaemia, a
life-threatening blood disorder.
The work was carried out in faulty IVF embryos obtained from
local fertility clinics. These embryos would have been incapable of
developing into healthy babies and would have been destroyed by the
clinics.
Prof Lovell-Badge said: "The experiments reported by Junjiu
Huang and colleagues (Liang et al) in the journal Protein Cell on
gene editing in abnormally fertilised human embryos are, I expect,
the first of several that we will see this year. The paper from
this Chinese group is the first to ask if the methods work, and the
answer provided is very equivocal. Yes, they do, but inefficiently
and with several problems.
"There has been much excitement among scientists about the power
of these new gene editing methods, and particularly about the
CRISPR/Cas9 system, which is relatively simple to use and generally
very efficient. The possibility of using such methods to
genetically modify human embryos, and therefore humans, has been on
the cards since these methods were first described, and recently
these prospects have been brought to the attention of the public
through several commentaries made by senior scientists and
commentators, some of whom have called for a moratorium to halt any
attempts."
Recently, with rumours about work of this type being done, and
again following publication of the paper, some organisations have
called for a moratorium on any similar work in the future. However,
Prof Lovell-Badge warns against such an approach: "I disagree with
a moratorium, which is in any case unlikely to work well. Indeed, I
am fully supportive of research being carried out on early human
embryos in vitro, especially on embryos that are not required for
reproduction and would otherwise be
discarded.
"If the techniques work, there are many interesting questions
that could be asked about the role of specific genes in early human
embryo development, especially as there is accumulating evidence
that equivalent stages of embryos from other mammals, notably the
mouse from which most of our understanding has come, may rely on
the activity of different genes.
"In the UK, it is legal to do this for research purposes on
early human embryos with a licence from the HFEA, but the 14 day
limit applies and it would be illegal to implant the embryos into a
woman for further development."