In November of 2018, two twin babies named Lulu and Nana were born in China with genetically modified genes. Scientist He Jiankui, who was in charge of this project, was the first to successfully modify the genes of a zygote to create a resistance to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Jiankui performed the modification “surgery” with a tool called CRISPR-cas9. This tool assesses the genetic code to alter a humans genes. Although this procedure was illegal in China, Jiankui performed the operation.

Jiankui explained his procedure in an interview with NPR, stating, “When Lulu and Nana was just a single cell, this surgery removed the doorway through which HIV enters to affect people.” HIV is a transferable virus,, meaning, if a father is HIV positive he could transfer this virus to his children. Jiankui explains he decided to perform the surgery because the father was HIV positive and Jiankui wanted to prevent further transmission of the disease.

This procedure resulted in one of the infants possessing two copies of the altered gene while the other only had one. This meant the baby with only one copy could still be susceptible to HIV. According to AP News, however, limited research does suggest that the one successful alteration could potentially slow the virus down.

  James D’Anza, a genetics teacher at Neuqua Valley High School believes that, although there are many concerns about genetic modification of humans, including concerns of “playing God” and not knowing when to stop modification, Jiankui’s procedure is a “great advancement for genetics.” The co-inventor of CRISPR, Jennifer Doudna, defended her device in an interview with The Week, stating , “Great things can be done with the power of technology — and there are things you would not want done. Most of the public does not appreciate what is coming.”

Conversely, others such as David R. Liu, a professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Harvard University, stated in an interview published in Harvard’s newspaper, The Crimson, that he finds “both the ethical and scientific side of [the procedure] to be pretty appalling.” Another critic to human genetic modification, Nebraska congressman Jeff Fortenberry called it “a macabre form of eugenic human cloning,” at a hearing in 2014.

Regardless of other’s opinions, He Jiankui stands by his work and hopes to elaborate on his research and attempt this again, announcing on Nov. 29 that another woman is pregnant with a fetus that will potentially be modified.