United Kingdom scientists apply for licence to genetically modify human embryo for the

Earlier this year, Chinese scientists became the first in the world to modify human embryos.

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have applied to Britain’s regulators to use new “genome editing” techniques on human embryos, according to a statement released Friday by the institute.

That body, which regulates fertility treatment and embryo research, has confirmed that it has received its first application for a gene-editing licence using CRISPR/Cas9.

Rather, donated embryos would be used for research purposes only with the ultimate goal of obtaining scientific understanding of the development of a healthy human embryo.

Critics have expressed concern that allowing scientists to modify human embryos could pave the way for genetically modified babies.

The HFEA will now consider the application, but no decision is expected for some weeks or months. He said that CRISPR is already revolutionising research in genetics: “You can, with a great deal of confidence, target an individual gene, and perform much more controlled and targeted experiments”.

The team says this research will also prove beneficial for studies into stem cells, which “will have benefits and advances in many different fields of medicine”.

Research leader, Dr Kathy Niakan, said the aim was to understand the genes that human embryos need to develop successfully.

Likewise, Georgetown University Medical Center associate professor Kevin T. FitzGerald said he hopes British authorities “will delay processing this request by the Francis Crick Institute until the broad, public engagement that is needed to help guide the use of this powerful research tool can be accomplished”.

“If we receive a licence, I would hope to start work as soon as possible. The knowledge may also improve embryo development after IVF and might provide better clinical treatments for infertility”, she said.

Scientists say the new technique, called Crispr/Cas9, means that genomes can be manipulated in a more precise way than before.

“We would again call for a pause in all human germline modification research worldwide until these very important issues can be fully discussed and consensus guidelines can be generated by the global scientific community”, Edward Lanphier, president and chief executive officer of the Sangamo Biosciences in Richmond, Calif., wrote in an email to Shots. Invented three years ago, it has revolutionised biomedical research.

The U.S. later imposed a moratorium on federally-funded research in this area.

The scientists behind the proposed study in the United Kingdom said they have no intention of altering the DNA of future generations but accept that this may at some point in the future be safe, medically justifiably and ethically acceptable – for instance to avoid inherited disorders or to confer disease resistance on IVF babies. “At the same time, we should be reassured to know that this work is being carried out under a robust regulatory scheme that ensures high scientific and ethical standards”.