---
title: "Scientist Who Gene Edited Babies Is Being Held By Mysterious Guards"
description: "He Jiankui, the scientist who brought gene-edited babies into the world, has been spotted under house arrest on his former university's campus."
date: "2018-12-31"
modified: "2018-12-31"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/gene-edited-babies-house-arrest"
categories:
  - "Health & Medicine"
  - "Prosthetics and Devices"
tags:
  - "CRISPR"
  - "genetics"
  - "he jiankui"
  - "medicine"
---

# Scientist Who Gene Edited Babies Is Being Held By Mysterious Guards

![Ball and chain.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/BallChan.png>)
*\<em\>Image: Peggy/Marco Lachmann-Anke\</em\>*

## Spotted

After Chinese scientist He Jiankui [shocked the scientific community](<https://futurism.com/chinese-researchers-gene-edited-human-embryos-hiv-crispr>) by announcing last month that he had edited the genes of human babies, he [mysteriously vanished](<https://futurism.com/gene-edited-babies-scientist-missing>).

And now he's been found. The *New York Times* [reports that](<https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/28/world/asia/he-jiankui-china-scientist-gene-editing.html>) guards are holding He in a guesthouse at his university, the Southern University of Science and Technology. It's unclear whether the guards work for the Chinese government, the university, or another organization — but their presence is the latest sign that He's transgressive research upset the delicate balance of the genetics research community and regulatory systems, prompting retaliation from powerful interests.

## Plainclothes Guards

The Chinese government [condemned He's work](<https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/nov/29/work-on-gene-edited-babies-blatant-violation-of-the-law-says-china>) after he announced it, launching an investigation and [banning him from continuing his research](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/chinese-government-crispr-baby-experiments>). What was unclear, however, was whether He's disappearance was a result of him laying low or being held somewhere.

Now the *Times* has found that He is staying at a university guesthouse normally used to house visiting scholars, where a dozen plainclothes guards refused to identify themselves to a *Times* reporter. He is able to communicate over email and phone calls, according to the *Times*, and has corresponded with business colleagues.

"He was extremely irresponsible to the employees, partners and investors," said Liu Chaoyu, with whom He co-founded the gene-testing company Vienomics, in an interview with the *Times*. Liu last saw He the day before the conference at which he disclosed the existence of the gene-edited babies. "He did not discuss anything with us before he made his announcement and we had to deal with all of it unexpectedly."

## Shock and Awe

The university and Shenzhen police both declined to comment to the *Times*. In fact, all employees of the university have been barred from speaking to the press, according to a message obtained by the paper.

What's clear is that He's unprecedented work sent shockwaves not just through the research ecosystem but through the powerful machinery of international government — and as the saga of his treatment in the wake of the announcement unfolds, it could be a roadmap to the challenges other researchers would face if they follow in his footsteps.

**READ MORE:** [Chinese Scientist Who Claimed to Make Genetically Edited Babies Is Kept Under Guard](<https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/28/world/asia/he-jiankui-china-scientist-gene-editing.html>) \[*The New York Times*\]

***More on He Jiankui:*** ***[Chinese Scientists Claim to Have Gene-Edited Human Babies For the First Time](<https://futurism.com/chinese-researchers-gene-edited-human-embryos-hiv-crispr>)***

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)