The Manhattan Project was the name given to the top-secret programme to develop the first ever nuclear weapons during the Second World War. It’s also the nickname Cathy Tie uses for her biotech start-up, Manhattan Genomics, which is working towards creating gene-edited babies. A jarring choice, perhaps, but Tie believes the technology is just as, if not more important. “Also, I just love Manhattan,” she says. Tie clearly understands the power of a catchy label — she is often referred to in the press as “Biotech Barbie”, a name she came up with herself.
The Manhattan Project 2.0 makes a bold claim: “We’re building a future where no child inherits preventable disease.” It promises to prevent “thousands of diseases”, including sickle cell anaemia, cystic fibrosis and Huntington’s disease. All three are common monogenic diseases, meaning they are caused by a mutation in a single gene and can be passed down from parent to child.
