Chinese scientist faces probe after girl, 6, dies ‘following experimental gene therapy’

A prominent Chinese scientist is facing an investigation by his university following the reported death of a six-year-old girl who underwent experimental gene-editing therapy. The girl, identified as Mei, died days after receiving a treatment designed to correct a genetic mutation affecting her neurodevelopment.

According to a joint investigation by Science and Retraction Watch, Mei's parents stated that she suffered a fatal immune reaction linked to the therapy. The trial was led by Qiu Zilong, a neuroscientist at Shanghai Jiao Tong University's brain center, who was researching the adaptation of base editing for rare childhood diseases. The report detailed that seven days after the medical team infused trillions of viruses carrying the base editor recipe into her spinal fluid, the girl died from a severe immune response.

Xinhua Hospital, affiliated with the university, had previously paid a fine of approximately 24,000 yuan (US$3,500) to local health authorities in September of the previous year. However, Qiu Zilong did not face public sanctions at that time. The investigation by his university is now underway following these revelations.