Scientists at London's Francis Crick Institute will now be able to use gene editing techniques on human embryos.
The technology can enable scientists to find and modify or replace genetic defects.
Its first application will be directed at improving fertility treatments.
Professor Robin Lovell-Badge is a scientific adviser to the UK's fertility regulator, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, which approved the research.
"It's the first time a project like this has been approved by a national regulator. It's really important for understanding basic biology about early human embryo and it has all sorts of potential clinical benefits in terms of better *IVF and avoiding things like miscarriage."
Welcoming the move is Emma Benjamin who had four miscarriages over a one-year period.
"I found it frustrating I never had answers as to why I kept miscarrying so if this research had come earlier and could have helped me provide answers then I guess, you know, it could have maybe saved a lot of heartache."
Professor John Harris, from the University of Manchester, says the technique enables the destruction of damaged genes, and also new genes to be inserted into the human genome with great accuracy.
He says the potential benefits could be significant and extend beyond improving fertility.
"Further down the line, if we do this research, and understand the technology so that we can eventually use it in humans, hopefully it will be able to remove genes that cause diseases and insert genes that prevent diseases or that can confer immunity to diseases."
The experiments will take place on embryos within seven days of fertilisation.
The lead researcher will use one-day-old donated embryos that are created during IVF but no longer required.
It will be illegal for the experimental embryos to be implanted into a woman.
But critics say such research opens the door to the creation of so-called 'designer babies'.
The head of genetic research ethics monitor, Human Genetics Alert, is Doctor David King.
"Well I don't have a problem with this particular research, we're not a pro-life group so it's not about destruction of embryos, but I am concerned that this is the first step on a process that's already been mapped out towards the creation of genetically modified designer babies."
