Beijing — He Jiankuithe Chinese scientist who sparked a global controversy in 2018 by creating the first genetically edited babies announced that is considering an offer to work in the United States.
During an online roundtable organized by the magazine MIT Technology ReviewHe revealed that an investor of Silicon Valley he proposed One million dollars to found a company in the United States dedicated to genetic editing technologies to prevent Alzheimer’saccording to the Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post.
“It’s a very interesting proposal and I’m considering it. I would like to work in the United States if a good opportunity arises,” He was quoted as saying by the newspaper on Friday.
At the roundtable, He also mentioned that he received invitations to continue his research in an Eastern European country and an unspecified island nation, offers that he declined: “I need to do research in the United States and China or other major countries“, he claimed.
During the event, He stressed that his work would be limited to studies in mice, monkeys and non-viable human embryos, with no intention of implanting an embryo to create a pregnancy or future children.
In April, He, who was sentenced to three years in prison in 2019 by his country’s authorities, told a Japanese media outlet that his current work meets international standards. and that society will eventually accept this practice.
The scientist then assured that Its aim is to treat rare genetic diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy or genetically determined Alzheimer’s. through genome editing in human embryos, and that for its research it will use discarded embryos and will comply with local and international standards.
In November 2018, He shocked the international community by claiming to have succeeded in creating the first genetically engineered twins to resist the HIVwhich led to numerous criticisms, especially on ethical grounds.
The twins were part of Three babies born as a result of a gene editing project during in vitro fertilization of eight couples in which only the husbands were infected with HIV, to prevent transmission of the virus.
The scientist then expressed his pride in his work and stressed that his study was not aimed at eliminating genetic diseases but at “giving girls the natural ability” to resist a possible future HIV infection.
Chinese authorities determined after an investigation that He carried out the project illegally. to achieve fame and financial gain.