He Jiankui shocked the world when he announced last winter that he was behind the world's first genetically modified infants - a pair of twin girls who, through DNA manipulation, should have received innate protection against HIV infection. According to New China, a third genetically engineered baby was also born as a result of the experiments, something that has not been previously confirmed.
The technology used by He Jinakui, the CRISPR-Cas9 gene knife, has given rise to hope of preventing hereditary diseases. However, there are fears about safety and ethics regarding use.
Following He Jiankui's message, more than 100 researchers signed an open letter stating that "Pandora's ashes have been opened" and warned of the consequences of gene modification on human embryos. At the same time, Chinese authorities announced that the experiments violated Chinese laws and regulations.