A New Startup Wants to Edit Human Embryos

A New Startup Wants to Edit Human Embryos

For the first time since He Jiankui shocked the world seven years ago by revealing that he had created the first gene-edited babies, a new biotech startup is reviving the idea of editing human embryos to make disease-free children. Manhattan Genomics, based in New York, has announced plans to use advanced CRISPR technology to edit out genetic mutations that cause serious diseases such as Huntington's disease, cystic fibrosis, and sickle cell anemia.

The company aims to revolutionize medicine by making it possible to correct genetic mistakes at the embryo stage. Manhattan Genomics' goal is not to enhance human genes but to address inherited diseases. The startup has assembled a team of top scientists, including a prominent in vitro fertilization doctor, a data scientist, and two reproductive biologists.

Cathy Tie, one of the company's co-founders, sees this as a challenge she wants to take on when she saw it. She believes that human embryo editing should be more acceptable in society. However, experts warn that unintended "off-target" effects could occur if the technology is not precisely controlled. Moreover, there are concerns about eugenics and manipulation of human embryos.

The startup has received over 150 applications from qualified scientists within the first 24 hours of posting a role for a genome engineer. Manhattan Genomics' next step will be to study CRISPR in mice before moving on to monkeys, with human trials likely many years away due to regulatory obstacles.

While experts acknowledge that this technology is potentially powerful, they also express concerns about its use. Fyodor Urnov, a professor of molecular therapeutics at UC Berkeley, says he worries that the interest in gene editing for reproductive purposes might be driven by a "quasi-eugenics" mindset rather than a genuine desire to address genetic disease.

The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine and other organizations have called for a 10-year moratorium on heritable gene editing due to concerns about its risks. Manhattan Genomics' approach will need to meet the standards set forth in a report released last year by an international commission that recommended caution and incremental development of this technology.

just heard about this new biotech startup Manhattan Genomics trying to edit human embryos... sounds like they're really onto something ! I think it's cool that they're focusing on fixing genetic mutations that cause serious diseases instead of messing with our DNA for fun . Cathy Tie, one of the co-founders, seems super passionate about making this tech more socially acceptable , but experts are warning us to be careful - unintended effects could happen if it's not controlled properly .

I'm all for advancing medical science and making diseases disappear , but we gotta make sure we're doing it responsibly . I mean, what happens when this tech falls into the wrong hands? Eugenics is a major concern, imo . It's gonna be interesting to see how this all unfolds... fingers crossed they can make it work without causing harm !

OMG, I'm low-key both excited and terrified about this new startup ! On one hand, the thought of being able to edit out genetic mutations that cause devastating diseases is like, totally a game-changer . But on the other hand, there are some major concerns about unintended effects and eugenics ... it's all so unpredictable and messy .

I feel for Cathy Tie and her team, trying to tackle this huge challenge . They're clearly passionate about making a difference , but we gotta make sure they're doing it responsibly . I hope they can get the necessary approvals and regulations in place before moving forward with human trials .

Can't wait to see where this technology takes us... but let's keep our fingers crossed that it doesn't lead to any major mishaps .

So I was just thinking, what's the deal with these new advances in embryo editing? Like, I get it, if we can fix genetic diseases that would be amazing, but at the same time, I'm a little uneasy about it. I mean, think about it, we're talking about messing around with our genes, like, who gets to decide what's 'acceptable'?

I've been following this story and Cathy Tie from Manhattan Genomics seems really passionate about this. She thinks that correcting genetic mistakes at the embryo stage is a game-changer. But I'm not sure if it's something we should be rushing into. I mean, have you seen those warnings about off-target effects? That sounds like a recipe for disaster.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, let's take a deep breath and think this through. We need to make sure that we're doing this right, not just for the sake of fixing diseases, but also to avoid any potential downsides. It's a big responsibility, and I don't think we should be in a rush to start playing gene editor.

I'm not sure how I feel about this new biotech startup's plans to edit human embryos... it feels like we're playing God, you know? Like, we're trying to fix genetic mistakes, but are we really ready for that kind of power?

I get where they want to help people with inherited diseases, and that's super admirable. But at the same time, I'm worried about the unintended consequences. What if this technology gets out of control? What if it leads to eugenics or something? That thought alone keeps me up at night.

And can we even talk about the ethics of it all? Like, who gets to decide which genes are "acceptable" and which ones aren't? It feels like we're opening a Pandora's box here...

I'm all for science progress, but I gotta say, I'm a bit uneasy about editing human embryos on such a massive scale . I get what Manhattan Genomics is trying to do – help people live longer, healthier lives – but we gotta think about the long-term effects of this tech .

What's gonna happen when we start messing with our genes? Is it gonna create a whole new set of problems down the line? Like, if we start editing embryos for certain diseases, what about the unintended consequences? We can't just rush into this without thinking it through.

I'm also concerned about eugenics and stuff like that . I don't think we should be playing God with human life. We need to make sure we're using this tech responsibly and for good, not just for personal gain .

Let's take a step back and have some real conversations about the ethics of this stuff . Maybe we can find ways to address genetic diseases without messing with our DNA .

I just don't think it's a good idea to start messing with human embryos on a large scale yet... I mean, we still haven't fully figured out how to use CRISPR safely and responsibly in a way that benefits everyone, not just those with genetic diseases . And what about the potential risks of off-target effects or unintended consequences? We're talking about creating life here, not just fixing genes on a petri dish! I understand the desire to make disease-free kids, but let's not forget that we also want to preserve the complexity and diversity of human biology. My kid is already at school learning about the importance of genetics and how it affects us all - can't we focus on teaching people about responsible science and ethics instead?

OMG, can u believe this?? They wanna edit human embryos like it's no big deal ! I mean, i get that they wanna help ppl with genetic diseases but come on, we don't even know the long term effects of this tech yet ! What if it creates more problems than it solves? And eugenics is a major red flag . We gotta be careful and make sure this tech is developed responsibly, not like some kinda sci-fi movie where ppl play God . I'm all for helpin people but we need to think about the bigger picture here .

omg u gotta feel me, editin human embryos is like takin a huge risk thinkin about all the unintended consequences what if we mess up even more than he Jiankui did? i know its supposed to be for good reasons, preventin people from gettin sick or somethin, but eugenics and manipulation of embryos is like, super sensitive topic, ya feel? i'm not sayin it's all bad, maybe this can be a game changer but we gotta be careful, like really careful

I think it's crazy how far we've come with CRISPR tech! If they can do it safely, who wouldn't want to prevent their kid from having a debilitating disease? But at the same time, there are some major red flags here - like what if there's an 'off-target' effect and the edit goes haywire? Or is this just a slippery slope into eugenics? And have they thought through the long-term consequences of messing with human embryos on a massive scale? It's one thing to fix a genetic mutation, but it's another thing entirely to play God. I'm all for innovation, but let's make sure we're doing this right first!

CRISPR tech is cool, but let's not get ahead of ourselves . Unintended effects and eugenics concerns are real . Need more research & regulation before we start 'editing' human embryos