mitochondrial transfer Archives

New Herbert lab Nature paper reinforces mitochondrial replacement Achilles heel

June 8, 2016 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 1 Comment

Today a new Nature paper from Dr. Mary Herbert’s group in the UK has found a key problem with mitochondrial replacement therapy that fits with data from others. Mitochondrial replacement data The goal of preventing mitochondrial disease using various kinds of genome transfer technologies is a noble one, but mitochondrial replacement therapy has faced a […]

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NAS proposes prudent US policy on 3-person IVF

February 3, 2016 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 3 Comments

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences (NAS), Engineering, and Medicine here in the US recommends a policy significantly more cautious on first read for 3-person IVF than that in place now in the UK. My initial take on this new 164-page report is that it is very well thought out and the

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List of 20 stem cell predictions for 2016

January 4, 2016 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 1 Comment

What will the new year have in store for stem cells? 2016 promises to have many striking stem cell developments. Below are my top 20 stem cell predictions for what is to come this year in no particular order. Share your stem cell tea leaves in the comments please. Another stem cell biotech acquisition by pharma

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Nature mixed signals on 3-person IVF: deep risks, but forge ahead

October 11, 2015 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 2 Comments

Nature recently published a thorough, insightful piece on the major risks that would come with the use of so-called 3-person IVF (aka mitochondrial transfer or 3-parent baby method). In the UK 3-person IVF has, as of earlier this year, the government’s blessing to proceed despite the many serious unresolved risks that Nature‘s own piece so nicely

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Monday, March 2: My Reddit AMA on 3-Person IVF, Mitochondrial Transfer

February 27, 2015 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D.

On Monday, I’ll be doing another Reddit AMA, this time on 3-person IVF also known as 3-parent IVF, mitochondrial transfer, 3-parent babies, etc. You can see the upcoming AMAs including mine listed in the right sidebar here. Mine will start at 10AM PST/1PM EST. I hope to discuss with a wide audience all the key

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UK OKs 3-Person IVF: Perspectives

February 25, 2015 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 9 Comments

With the House of Lords vote yesterday, the UK officially became the only country in the world to have legalized human genetic modification via 3-Person IVF. The point of this “mitochondrial transfer” or “3-person IVF” technology is not directly to genetically modify humans specifically, but it still will lead to that result in any case.

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Red flags in Sally Davies letter on 3-person IVF mitochondrial transfer

February 24, 2015 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 9 Comments

There’s been some back and forth between me and some members of the UK Parliament and others in the UK on the issue of mitochondrial transfer or 3-person IVF technology. Some of this has involved the UK equivalent of the Surgeon General, Professor Dame Sally Davies, who at one point apparently called my views “bunk”. I

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UK Surgeon General Calls My Concerns on 3-person IVF “Bunk”

February 23, 2015 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 8 Comments

What is one to do when the equivalent of the Surgeon General of the UK calls one’s concerns about something, in this case 3-person IVF, “bunk”? It sure gave me some pause. What’s going on? First, some brief background. The debate over 3-person IVF/mitochondrial transfer technology has been getting more heated. The epicenter for the discussion

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Nature Biased News Coverage of 3-Person IVF

February 13, 2015 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 5 Comments

NatureNews is a science news outlet so I’ve been wondering what the heck the deal is with their strongly biased news coverage of the mitochondrial transfer 3-person IVF technology debate. By way of context, I like NatureNews and am a regular reader, but their coverage of the mitochondrial transfer debate has been completely one-sided and inaccurate. Their

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Poll results: solid support, but desire for more data before 3-parent baby tech moves forward in humans

February 6, 2015 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D.

I ran a poll asking readers of this blog about their view of 3-parent baby or IVF also known as mitochondrial transfer technology. The poll got 166 responses over a few days. The results are in and they are surprising to me at least. They trend toward some level of support rather than opposition to

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