A controversial proposal to use new technology to edit the genes of human embryos — the first such experiment outside China — has been approved by the UK regulator.
Success would not only illuminate the mysteries of human reproduction but also help researchers develop treatments for infertility.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority said Kathy Niakan and colleagues at the Francis Crick Institute in London can use the ultra-precise DNA editing process known as Crispr to switch genes on and off in a newly fertilised egg. Scientists elsewhere have been deterred by the novelty of Crispr, fear of controversy and lack of a clear regulatory framework outside the UK.
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