Scientists get 'gene editing' go-ahead 

UK scientists have been given the go-ahead by the fertility regulator to genetically modify human embryos.  

The research will take place at the Francis Crick Institute in London and aims to provide a deeper understanding of the earliest moments of human life.  

The experiments will take place in the first seven days after fertilization and could explain what goes wrong in miscarriage.  

It will be illegal for the scientists to implant the embryos into a woman. 

The field is attracting controversy, with some saying that altering the DNA of an embryo is a step too far and opens the door to designer babies.


BBC