China has suspended the research activities of the scientists who claimed to have created the world's first gene-edited babies.
Local authorities said the work of He Jiankui was a violation of Chinese law and ethics.
The scientist caused outrage earlier this week when he told a genome summit he had altered the genes of twin baby girls to make them resistant to HIV - a claim that has not been confirmed.
Experts are concerned that meddling with the genome of an embryo could cause harm not only to the individual but also future generations that inherit these same changes.
Professor He's employers at a university in Shenzhen said they had no knowledge of his research, adding the university would be investigating his claims.