‘There is no way to stop this’: ‘Biotech Barbie’ Cathy Tie on her mission to genetically modify babies
Cathy Tie, a Canadian entrepreneur known as 'Biotech Barbie', is pursuing a controversial mission to genetically modify human embryos. After a tumultuous marriage to a scientist who was jailed for similar practices, she aims to conduct gene editing openly and with regulatory approval. Tie believes that advancements in gene editing could prevent serious diseases, despite the ethical concerns surrounding such technologies.
- ▪Cathy Tie has launched three biotech companies since 2025 and has lived in multiple cities.
- ▪She was previously married to He Jiankui, who was imprisoned for creating the first gene-edited babies.
- ▪Tie aims to modify embryos to prevent diseases like cystic fibrosis and hereditary cancers, advocating for transparency and regulatory approval.
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‘No one is trying to move fast and break things here’: Cathy Tie. Photograph: Caroll Taveras/The GuardianView image in fullscreen‘No one is trying to move fast and break things here’: Cathy Tie. Photograph: Caroll Taveras/The GuardianGene editing‘There is no way to stop this’: ‘Biotech Barbie’ Cathy Tie on her mission to genetically modify babiesThe Canadian entrepreneur has always pushed the boundaries of gene editing, once attempting to turn horses into unicorns. Now she is set on modifying human embryos – something her controversial ex-husband was jailed for doingJenny KleemanSat 30 May 2026 01.00 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleOn a Friday evening in late April, Cathy Tie, the Canadian serial entrepreneur and self-styled “Biotech Barbie”, is centre stage at New York City’s famous…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Guardian — Science.
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