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Sheetal Soni

Researcher, Lecturer, Attorney, University of KwaZulu-Natal
Ms Sheetal Soni is the Deputy Academic Leader for Teaching and Learning at UKZN (Pietermaritzburg), and a lecturer in the field of Bioethics, International Law and Intellectual Property Law. She holds LLB and LLM degrees and is currently a PhD candidate. She is also an admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa. Her research interests are reproductive technology and preimplantation testing of early embryos. She has done consultancy work for the HIV/AIDS Vaccines Ethics Group (HAVEG), the AIDS and Rights Alliance of South Africa (ARASA), and the National Department of Health. She is also a collaborator on various projects with Next BioSciences, the UKZN African Health Flagship and on the South African site of the Sustainable & Healthy Food Systems (SHEFS) project. She is currently assisting with the drafting of Clinical Guidelines for Genetic Services, and the drafting of guidelines for the regulation of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology. She is an active member of the Association for Responsible Research in Genome Editing (ARRIGE); the South African Society of Human Genetics; and the Human Cell Atlas. She is also the South African Ambassador to the Association of Ethics and Integrity (Association Ethique & Intégrité).

Human gene editing: who decides the rules?

Jan 18, 2020 11:49 am UTC| Insights & Views Science

Gene editing technology allows scientists to make changes to an organisms DNA. It has made it possible to create cattle without horns, tomatoes that ripen slowly over time, and even mosquitoes that are incapable of...

Economy

The yen plunges to 34-year low despite interest rate hike

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) raised interest rates for the first time in 17 years on March 19, bringing an era of negative interest rates to an end. The key rate was hiked from 0.1% to a band from zero to 0.1% a token effort...

The idea that US interest rates will stay higher for longer is probably wrong

The 0.4% rise in US consumer prices in March didnt look like headline news. It was the same as the February increase, and the year-on-year rise of 3.5% is still sharply down from 5% a year ago. All the same, this modest...

Impact of Iran-Israel conflict on Stocks, Gold and Bitcoin

Disclaimer: This is not investment advice. The information provided is for general purposes only. No information, materials, services and other content provided on this page constitute a solicitation, recommendation,...

Japan Posts 7.7% Growth in Machinery Orders

In a striking development that looks set to invigorate Japans economic prospects, a key gauge of capital spending in the country has seen its most significant jump in over a year. According to Cabinet Office data released...

Why Africa can be the beating heart of South Korea’s technology industry

Tshepo Ncube, Head: International Coverage and Bhavtik Vallabhjee, Head: Power, Utilities Infrastructure at Absa CIB reflect on their recent visit to South Korea, examining why investors in the region have their eyes set...

Politics

US Commerce Secretary Asserts Huawei Chip Lag, Affirms Export Control Success

In an interview on CBS News 60 Minutes, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo stated that the latest Huawei Mate 60 Pro phones chip remains significantly behind U.S. technology despite being the most advanced from China. She...

The Alberta government is interfering in public sector bargaining on an unprecedented scale

In the coming months, over 200,000 public sector workers in Alberta will begin bargaining with their employers for new contracts. The most recent agreements expired in March and, after many years of high inflation and few...

Putin’s Russia: first arrests under new anti-LGBT laws mark new era of repression

Just over three decades after Russia decriminalised homosexuality in 1993, three people have been arrested and charged under the countrys harsh new anti-LGBT laws and could face ten years in prison for membership of an...

Nvidia RTX 4090D Embroiled in US-China Tech Rivalry; South Korea Navigates Chip Export Dilemma

The U.S. government has tightened export restrictions on high-performance semiconductor chips to China, including the Nvidia RTX 4090D, and is urging South Korea to enforce similar curbs, marking a significant escalation...

Canada needs a national strategy for homeless refugee claimants

One year after the federal government closed Roxham Road, refugee claims in Canada continue to increase: there were 143,785 in 2023 compared to 91,730 in 2022. The surprise announcement in March 2023 to modify Canadas...

Science

Peter Higgs was one of the greats of particle physics. He transformed what we know about the building blocks of the universe

Peter Higgs, who gave his name to the subatomic particle known as the Higgs boson, has died aged 94. He was always a modest man, especially when considering that he was one of the greats of particle physics the area of...

Could a telescope ever see the beginning of time? An astronomer explains

The James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST for short, is one of the most advanced telescopes ever built. Planning for JWST began over 25 years ago, and construction efforts spanned over a decade. It was launched into space on...

US media coverage of new science less likely to mention researchers with African and East Asian names

When one Chinese national recently petitioned the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to become a permanent resident, he thought his chances were pretty good. As an accomplished biologist, he figured that news...

If life exists on Jupiter’s moon Europa, scientists might soon be able to detect it

Europa is one of the largest of more than 90 moons in orbit around the planet Jupiter. It is also one of the best places to look for alien life. Often termed an ocean world by scientists, observations to date strongly...

Exploding stars are rare but emit torrents of radiation − if one happened close enough to Earth, it could threaten life on the planet

Stars like the Sun are remarkably constant. They vary in brightness by only 0.1% over years and decades, thanks to the fusion of hydrogen into helium that powers them. This process will keep the Sun shining steadily for...

Technology

Mercedes Launches 2025 G-Class Electric with Four Motors and Revolutionary Tank Turns

Mercedes-Benz revealed the 2025 G-Class electric model, the G580 with EQ technology, in Beverly Hills. It boasts four motors and an innovative tank turn capability, setting a new benchmark in luxury electric...

U.S. Prosecutors Demand Three Years for Former Binance CEO Zhao Over Laundering

In a stern move reflecting the severity of financial crimes, U.S. prosecutors have recommended a 36-month prison sentence for Changpeng Zhao, the former CEO of cryptocurrency giant Binance, for aiding in money laundering...

Asahi Kasei to Build EV Battery Plant in Canada to Supply Key Parts to Honda Motor

Asahi Kasei Corporation, a chemical company based in Japan, announced it will build a new production plant in Canada where it will make parts for electric vehicle batteries. The company will then supply critical materials...

SK Networks Sets Up AI Research Lab in Silicon Valley

SK Networks established its own AI research center in the United States. The lab was inaugurated in Silicon Valley, California, on Tuesday, April 23. The site will become SK Networks AI base outside of South Korea. The...

Huawei Introduces Smart Driving Software Brand Qiankun

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. introduced its new smart driving software brand, Qiankun. The launch boosted Huaweis efforts to become a major name in the electric vehicle sector. Huaweis New Software Brand Huaweis new...