The United States seems to be in the running when it comes to the experiments with human DNA. However, the subject s still very much covered with a veil of secrets and questions we have no answers to.

It looks like that the MIT Technology Review published a news report last week concerning the experiments in which the aim was to create genetically modified human embryos. This research was led by Shoukhrat Mitalipov, director of the Oregon Health & Science Universitys Center for Embryonic Cell and Gene Therapy, but neither he or his unversity wanted to make any statements concerning the research.

The university press office did, however, release a statement which said: Results of the peer-reviewed study are expected to be published soon in a scientific journal. No further information will be provided before then. It is pretty clear that there will be no way to get the extra details on the research before the study is published in the journal as to avoid any speculation and possible issues.

Mitalipov has also refused to comment any of the questions or statements released, including the report that was published. He has also not confirmed not negated that he has seen the report.

In 2013 Mitalipov and his research team had their first breakthrough when they cloned human stem cells and reprogrammed them to go back to their embryonic state. In 2007, they have announced that they made a clone of monkey embryo and managed to extract the cells from it.

Although it is not certain, and at this time cannot be confirmed, it is suspected that the genes targeted in this particular research are the ones associated with inherited diseases. Arthur Caplan, a professor and founder of the division of bioethics at New York University Langone Medical Center, who was not involved in the research commented: Im not surprised that they were looking at genetic diseases to try and see if they could target them, because thats exactly where I think the future inevitably leads.

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US Scientists First Ever To Genetically Modify Human Embryos - Chronicle Day