A Biotech Founder Makes the Moral Case for Gene-Editing Human Embryos

The practice of editing the genes of embryos remains highly controversial and risky, but Origin Genomics founder Cathy Tie argues its a "moral imperative" to address hereditary diseases. When the Chinese scientist He Jiankui announced in 2018 that he had created the first gene-edited babies, the experiment was widely condemned as reckless and premature. It ended with He in prison. But that hasn't stopped the push for gene-edited human embryos, with biotech entrepreneur Cathy Tie arguing that doing so isn't just urgent--it's a "moral imperative." Tie is the 30-year-old founder of Origin Genomics, a company that launched in March with plans to bring gene-edited embryos to IVF clinics.