In what sounds like a plot from a high-budget science fiction film, a Utah-based startup called Paterna Bio claims to have successfully grown human sperm in a laboratory from scratch. The company announced this week that it utilized "molecular programming" to turn stem cells into functional sperm, which was then used to create early-stage human embryos—a breakthrough that is sparking both medical hope and ethical outrage.
The primary mission behind Paterna Bio’s research is to provide a biological solution for men who produce no sperm, allowing them to father children who share their genetic DNA. While reproductive specialists are calling the feat a "monumental shift" in fertility science, the research is currently in its infancy. The embryos created were used solely for validation and have not—and legally cannot yet—be used to initiate an actual pregnancy.
The announcement has already ignited a firestorm of debate regarding the ethics of "manufacturing" life in a lab. During a heated discussion on the Rogan Report, contributors Jamie and Doug Baker expressed deep skepticism about the technology.
"This is absolutely the most ridiculous, dangerous notion," Jamie Baker said, arguing that scientists are overstepping sacred boundaries. "Scientists, you're messing with Mother Nature and procreation... we're going to end up with zombies because they create something that’s fake and phony."
Doug Baker echoed these concerns, jokingly comparing the breakthrough to a horror movie titled Attack of the Killer Sperm. "If Mother Nature and biology has harmed you in such a way that you cannot have children naturally, adopt," he contended. "Don’t go through this 'let me get something off a petri dish and make a baby' process."
Despite the "sci-fi" backlash, Paterna Bio co-founder Alexander Pastuszak maintains that the technology is a win for humanity, potentially offering certainty to couples who previously had zero chance of biological parenthood. However, with the research not yet fully peer-reviewed or verified for safety, a future where lab-grown sperm is a standard medical procedure remains years away.
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By: Fred Roggin
April 25, 2026
