“Many families would like to avoid burdening future generations with inherited diseases such as haemophilia or severe developmental disorders. But most would think it wrong to edit the genes that influence the 'normal' range of human variation, from eye colour to intelligence or athletic ability.”

British medical scientist

Sir Mark Jeremy Walport is a British medical scientist. He served as the United Kingdom’s Government Chief Scientific Adviser from 2013 to 2017 and later became Chief Executive of UK Research and Innovation, or UKRI, from 2017 to 2020. In 2023, he became Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society. His public work has centred on science policy and research leadership, moving between government and national scientific institutions.