Where Is He Jiankui? Chinese Scientist Who Gene-Edited Babies Reportedly Missing

Chinese scientist He Jiankui, who triggered a firestorm of controversy last week when he claimed to have produced the worlds first gene-edited babies, is rumored to be missing, according to local news outlets.

The South China Morning Post noted that Hes whereabouts have not been known since last Wednesday when the scientist described his controversial gene-editing experiment at a summit in Hong Kong.

Local reports suggested the scientist had been placed under house arrest by Chinese authorities, whove characterized Hes work as a violation of Chinese law . But on Monday, the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, where He had been an associate professor, told the Morning Post that the scientist had not been detained.

Right now nobodys information is accurate, only the official channels are, a university spokeswoman told the paper. She, however, declined to elaborate further, saying the institution could not answer any questions regarding the matter right now.

The university has distanced itself from Hes gene-editing work. The scientist had been on leave since February, the institution has said, stressing that it had no knowledge of his controversial research.

He sent shockwaves through the global scientific community last week with his claim that hed used a gene-editing technology known as CRISPR-Cas9 to alter the embryonic genes of a pair of twin girls. He, who said he was proud of his work, also revealed that a second pregnancy was underway related to his research.

He Jiankui just uploaded this video announcing his lab's achievement: the first-ever birth of CRISPR-modified babies, a pair of twin girls named Lulu and Nana. In it, he denounces \"designer babies\" and declares his willingness to accept criticism. https://t.co/Tu8IcgfkXP pic.twitter.com/8vaPiPB4kb

Daniel Sinclair (@_DanielSinclair) November 26, 2018","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Daniel Sinclair","author_url":"https://twitter.com/_DanielSinclair","cache_age":86400,"description":"He Jiankui just uploaded this video announcing his lab's achievement: the first-ever birth of CRISPR-modified babies, a pair of twin girls named Lulu and Nana. In it, he denounces \"designer babies\" and declares his willingness to accept criticism. https://t.co/Tu8IcgfkXP pic.twitter.com/8vaPiPB4kb Daniel Sinclair (@_DanielSinclair) November 26, 2018\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":675,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1066902968589565952/pu/img/3ONWU2Tt4uTzyzA6.jpg","thumbnail_width":1200,"title":"Daniel Sinclair on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/_DanielSinclair/status/1066904121213620224","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5c0641a0e4b0cd916faf700c","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/he-jiankui-missing-crispr-gene-edited-babies_n_5c0641a0e4b0cd916faf700c","entryTagsList":"china,science,crispr,gene-editing,he-jiankui,@health_adhd,@health_depression,@health_erectile,@health_ibs,@health_models","sectionSlug":"world-news","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"science","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.world-news","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/a6e41447-0de0-408a-9138-20fa557bd6c7/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":10},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5c0641a0e4b0cd916faf700c","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"China","slug":"china","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/china","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/china","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/china"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"World News","slug":"world-news"},"topic":{"title":"China","slug":"china","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/china"},{"name":"science","slug":"science","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/science","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/science","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/science"},"relegenceSubjectId":982661,"url":"https://action.news/topic/science"},{"name":"crispr","slug":"crispr","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/crispr","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/crispr","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/crispr"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/crispr"},{"name":"gene editing","slug":"gene-editing","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/gene-editing","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/gene-editing","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/gene-editing"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/gene-editing"},{"name":"He Jiankui","slug":"he-jiankui","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/he-jiankui","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/he-jiankui","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/he-jiankui"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/he-jiankui"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

He Jiankui just uploaded this video announcing his lab's achievement: the first-ever birth of CRISPR-modified babies, a pair of twin girls named Lulu and Nana. In it, he denounces "designer babies" and declares his willingness to accept criticism. https://t.co/Tu8IcgfkXP pic.twitter.com/8vaPiPB4kb
Daniel Sinclair (@_DanielSinclair) November 26, 2018

Hes experiment was met with widespread condemnation and skepticism, with scientists and other experts questioning both the ethical implications and the scientific soundness of his work.

Chinese authorities said Thursday that Hes research had blatantly violated Chinas relevant laws and regulations.

It has also violated the ethical bottom line that the academic community adheres to. It is shocking and unacceptable, Xu Nanping, a vice minister for science and technology, told state broadcaster CCTV.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

Chinas national health commission said it would investigate and deal with any unlawful behavior by He, The Guardian reported .

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Related