Origins & Early Life

He Jiankui (Chinese: 贺建奎; pinyin: Hè Jiànkuí [xɤ̂ tɕjɛ̂nkʰwěɪ] HUH JEE-enn KWAY; born 1984) is a Chinese biophysicist known for his controversial first use of genome editing in humans in 2018. He was listed as one of Time's 100 most influential people of 2019, in the section "Pioneers". At the same time, he was widely condemned as a mad scientist. He served as associate professor of biology at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, before his dismissal from the university in January 2019.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In November 2018, He announced that he had created the first human genetically edited babies, twin girls who were born modified with HIV resistance in October 2018 and were known by their pseudonyms, Lulu and Nana. The announcement was initially praised in the press as a major scientific advancement. However, following scrutiny on how the experiment was executed, he received widespread condemnation from the public and scientific community. An investigation report showed that he raised money for his research to evade government and university research regulations. His research activities were suspended by the Chinese authorities on 29 November 2018...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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