HIV Eliminated from the Genomes of Living Animals

NCER Notes:

With more than 36 M HIV infected people worldwide, and over 1 M living in the U.S., a cure for the disease is fervently sought. Researchers at our own UNMC in Omaha, Ne. believe they have found that cure! Mice were injected with human stem cells from cord blood in order to create a more human-like immune system. These mice were then infected with the HIV virus, and eventually treated with a long …

CRISPR Babies: When Will the World Be Ready?

NCER Notes:

As an alarming example of how the gene editing of embryos can be dangerous, the first gene edited babies born in China last year now have a high probability of a significantly shorter lifespan due to unexpected consequences of the editing. Because of this outcome, the World Health Organization has asked all countries to stop any further research leading to gene edited babies. In spite of these warnings, a Russian biologist plans to …

Study Will Test CRISPR Gene Editing Inside the Body for the First Time

Notes from NCER:

In hopes of receiving sight, adults and children with an inherited form of blindness will have their genes edited in the first ever treatment that will alter patients’ native DNA using CRISPR. The specific condition, Leber congenital amaurosis, is rare (3 out of 100,000), and occurs when a child inherits two flawed genes, one from each parent. This is a stellar example of the ethical use of gene editing in humans in …