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.
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 
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, 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 
!
. But on the other hand, there are some major concerns about unintended effects and eugenics 
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. They're clearly passionate about making a difference 
, but we gotta make sure they're doing it responsibly 
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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'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?
What if it leads to eugenics or something? That thought alone keeps me up at night.
. 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 
. 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 
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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? 
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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? 
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. 