Dolly expert is to clone embryos

The creator of Dolly the sheep has been granted a licence to clone human embryos for medical research.
Professor Ian Wilmut and Kings College London scientists will clone early stage embryos to study motor neurone disease (MND).

This is the second time the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has given such permission.

Critics maintain that testing human embryos is immoral. Others question the potential benefits of the work.

Professor Wilmut said it will mean MND can be studied in unprecedented detail.

Therapeutic cloning for research has been legal in the UK since 2001 and it would be only the second time the authority has given consent.

The professor's team was the first to apply for a therapeutic cloning licence in the country.

Up until now, scientists have wanted to create cloned embryos to see if they can be grown into tissues to repair damaged body parts.

But Professor Wilmut's proposal is different as he does not plan to grow healthy replacement tissue.

Instead he aims to deliberately clone embryos that have MND from patients who have the condition.

Professor Wilmut...