Chinese scientists have successfully cloned somatic cell monkeys, advancing medical research.

Cloning monkey technology has put China in the lead. The team led by researcher Sun Qiang has made a breakthrough, giving birth to the world's first pair of somatic cell cloned monkeys, "Zhong Zhong" and "Hua Hua." This achievement is of great significance.

Cloning, or asexual reproduction, bypasses sexual reproduction and avoids genetic variation. Traditional monkey research involves various genotypes, which affects the accuracy of experiments. Cloned monkeys, with identical genes, become the ideal model animals.

Sun Qiang explained that cloned monkeys are like a uniform exam paper, ensuring fairness in drug testing. For example, a group of monkeys with a mutation in gene A, having the same background, allows the drug's effects to be clearly seen.

Cloning technology has a long history. Asexual reproduction in plants and nuclear transfer in animals both fall into this category. Somatic cell cloning, theoretically unlimited, is superior to embryo splitting.

The purpose of cloned monkeys is not for novelty or to clone humans, but to build disease models and promote drug development. The Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences continues to explore, with a broad future ahead.