Scientists Edit Human Baby Genes With New Tool

Dr. Dieter Egli led the research team at Columbia University. He said scientists should talk to the public about the good and bad sides of changing embryo DNA. The team published their study online and is waiting for other scientists to review it. Many experts are both excited and worried about this new technology.

The new method is called base editing, which is different from an older tool called CRISPR. CRISPR cuts out pieces of DNA like scissors, but sometimes it cuts the wrong parts. Base editing makes tiny changes to individual letters in the DNA code without causing damage. This makes it much safer and more precise than the older method.

Gene editing became a big topic over ten years ago when CRISPR was invented. In 2012, scientists learned how to make special molecules that could cut specific parts of DNA. CRISPR became popular because it was cheap and easy to use. Many companies started using it to treat diseases, and in 2023, doctors approved a CRISPR treatment for sickle cell anemia.

However, CRISPR had problems that worried scientists. Sometimes the molecules couldn't find their targets in the DNA, and other times they cut out the wrong genetic pieces. Despite these concerns, a Chinese scientist named He Jiankui used CRISPR on human embryos in 2018. He wanted to make babies resistant to HIV infection, but experts said his work was dangerous and reckless.