Chinese scientist defends ‘gene editing’ breakthrough claim after doubts raised by researchers around world
Han Chunyu says other teams may have been unable to replicate his results because they were using ‘wrong’ strain of bacteria in experiments, newspaper reports
A Chinese biologist says he has carried out more work in his laboratory to support his controversial claims that he has developed a new tool to engineer genes, including those of people and animals.
Han Chunyu and his colleagues at the Hebei University of Science and Technology said in May they had used a genetic mechanism in the bacteria NgAgo which allowed them to edit and alter the genes of other species.
Han’s findings appeared to provide further evidence of the dawn of a biotechnology revolution – the future ability to reprogram genes at will, which could solve problems like cancer and ageing.
The findings were originally hailed by other scientists as a breakthrough, but doubts were raised after other researchers around the world have been unable to replicate his results in their own laboratories.
Han said in an interview with the Chengdu Economic Daily published on Monday that the confusion was caused because he had used a batch of the bacteria which was later destroyed after a refrigerator storing the samples was hit by a power cut.