In a world first, Chinese scientists have successfully edited human DNA in an embryo by using a cutting edge technology, causing uproar among some in the scientific community. Huang Junjiu, associate professor of biology at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, and colleagues used the technology to "cleave" a gene responsible for beta thalassemia.
Researchers used problematic embryos discarded by hospitals, or eggs each fertilised by multiple sperms, which had been used by scientists around the world in lab for decades because they would never lead to a live birth.Writing in the journal Protein and Cell, researchers said they were aware of the ethical controversy surrounding such studies, 'South China Morning Post' reported. "We need to pause this research and make sure we have a broad based discussion about which direction we are going here," British biologist Edward lanphier told Nature.