A bold new chapter in biotechnology is unfolding as Manhattan Genomics, a U.S.-based startup founded by Katie Tai and Eriona Hisolli, announces plans to edit human embryos using CRISPR–Cas9 technology. Their mission? To eliminate chronic and hereditary diseases before birth — a step that could redefine the future of genetic medicine while reigniting fierce ethical debates.
Katie Tai, who left university at 18 to pursue biotech entrepreneurship, proudly calls herself the “Biotech Barbie.” Her latest venture, which she describes as a “Manhattan Project for genetics,” aims to apply gene-editing techniques at the embryonic level to prevent genetic disorders. Tai insists that most Americans are ready to support this kind of innovation, despite global hesitance.
Manhattan Genomics was founded in mid-2025 in collaboration with Hisolli, the former head of biological sciences at Colossal Biosciences, a Texas-based company known for its audacious project to resurrect extinct species like mammoths. While the startup has yet to share detailed plans, Tai confirmed that comprehensive safety trials will precede any attempts to modify human embryos.
Among the company’s early hires are a bioethics expert and two specialists in reproductive biology of nonhuman primates, both tasked with assessing the safety of proposed procedures. Tai emphasizes that the project is not about reckless experimentation but about responsible innovation, guided by scientific rigor and transparency.
However, the biotech community remains deeply divided. Many researchers argue that human germline editing — altering genes that can be passed on to future generations — remains too risky and ethically questionable. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently prohibits federal funding for such research, and clinical embryo editing remains illegal.
The controversy surrounding the field is still shadowed by He Jiankui, the Chinese biophysicist who, in 2018, claimed to have created the world’s first genetically edited babies resistant to HIV. His actions led to international outrage, a three-year prison sentence, and a global moratorium on embryo editing. Interestingly, Tai was once in a relationship with Jiankui but asserts that he has no involvement with Manhattan Genomics.
Meanwhile, advances in non-reproductive gene editing have shown great promise. The first FDA-approved CRISPR-based therapy edits stem cells in the blood to treat conditions like sickle cell disease, offering a model of success for safer gene modification. Yet, embryonic editing is far more complex — changes affect every cell of the developing organism and could be passed on to descendants, raising unpredictable risks.
Tai and Hisolli, however, argue that today’s tools are far superior to those used during Jiankui’s infamous experiment. Modern innovations such as base editing and prime editing allow scientists to correct single genetic errors with unprecedented precision, without cutting both strands of DNA as CRISPR–Cas9 traditionally does. Still, experts warn that unintended mutations and off-target effects remain a serious concern that must be addressed before human applications can proceed.
Conclusion: The Dawn of a New Genetic Era
The Manhattan Genomics initiative represents both the potential and peril of next-generation biotechnology. If successful, it could mark the beginning of a world where hereditary diseases are preventable before birth. But with that promise comes an urgent need for global oversight, ethical governance, and scientific responsibility. As humanity stands at the threshold of genetic self-design, the question remains: just because we can edit life, should we?
