Gene-edited babies: What a Chinese scientist told an American mentor

A Chinese government investigation concluded in January that Dr. He had “seriously violated ethics, scientific research integrity and relevant state regulations.”

Questions about other American scientists’ knowledge of Dr. He’s plans and their failure to sound a loud alarm have been an issue since Dr. He revealed his work in November.

But now, Dr. Quake is facing a Stanford investigation into his interaction with Dr. He. That inquiry began after the president of Dr. He’s Chinese university wrote to Stanford’s president alleging that Dr. Quake had helped Dr. He.

“Prof. Stephen Quake provided instructions to the preparation and implementation of the experiment, the publication of papers, the promotion and news release, and the strategies to react after the news release,” he alleged in letters obtained by The New York Times. Dr. Quake’s actions, he asserted, “violated the internationally recognized academic ethics and codes of conduct, and must be condemned.”