11–20 of 267 posts
Wow, I had not connected the idea of using CRISPR genome editing with targeting virus dna segments. If I understand the technique correctly (and I am not a biologist for sure!) they used an adeno virus modified with a specific Cas9 setup to elide HIV DNA from cells it infected (normally I associate viruses with adding DNA rather than removing it :-) Is that even close to a correct interpretation? It sounds like the t…
As someone else noted, THIS is what CRISPR was evolved to do. It was a DNA-based immune system used by bacteria to explicitly identify an invading virus via DNA, and to store a record of previously unknown virus for future reference. And, it was intended to function continually, in a living organism.
(Most studies of genetic alterations in the broader sense have bypassed this challenge by working with animal lineages, or animals in which the editing happens in the earliest stages of development, when there are very few cells needing to be changed. The alteration then propagates during embryonic and later development).
There have been a number of very promising studies in the past year or two with regard to gene therapies to apply to adults, such as animal studies that demonstrated a cure for an inherited muscular dystrophy, but in the bigger picture, comprehensive coverage of tissues and cells is still something that the research community is in the midst of getting to grips with.
It's awesome that this is possible. Right now HIV infections are basically a minor nuisance, provided you're taking the appropriate medication, but this bodes well for future treatment of viral infections.
Even with your caveat, the fact that more than 1 million people died from HIV in 2015 is probably a good signal to not use the term "minor nuisance".
Wow, I had not connected the idea of using CRISPR genome editing with targeting virus dna segments. If I understand the technique correctly (and I am not a biologist for sure!) they used an adeno virus modified with a specific Cas9 setup to elide HIV DNA from cells it infected (normally I associate viruses with adding DNA rather than removing it :-) Is that even close to a correct interpretation? It sounds like the t…
China is already experimenting on live humans: http://gizmodo.com/china-is-racing-ahead-of-the-us-in-the-qu...
Wow, I had not connected the idea of using CRISPR genome editing with targeting virus dna segments. If I understand the technique correctly (and I am not a biologist for sure!) they used an adeno virus modified with a specific Cas9 setup to elide HIV DNA from cells it infected (normally I associate viruses with adding DNA rather than removing it :-) Is that even close to a correct interpretation? It sounds like the t…
Correct. You can also use CRISPR to edit a person's own cells in a lab for injection back into the person's body to combat a slew of diseases, including cancer. China is already experimenting on live humans: http://gizmodo.com/china-is-racing-ahead-of-the-us-in-the-qu...
As exciting as this is, we already know how people have used the decreased danger of HIV infection to become careless about other types of STIs. Given that our antibiotics are losing their ability to treat many common STIs, an HIV cure without some advancement in antibiotics will be swapping one epidemic for a series of others. Edit: I wanted to add a couple sources for my claims above. Once people stopped believing…
Only if we fail to educate people about the dangers of other STIs.
I would say the excessive mediatic exposure of HIV have definitely worked to supress awareness and care for other STIs.
For instance, I am HPV+ and didn't have a clue about the existance of such a thing before getting it.
It's awesome that this is possible. Right now HIV infections are basically a minor nuisance, provided you're taking the appropriate medication, but this bodes well for future treatment of viral infections.
> Right now HIV infections are basically a minor nuisance, provided you're taking the appropriate medication Even with your caveat, the fact that more than 1 million people died from HIV in 2015 is probably a good signal to not use the term "minor nuisance". https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/statistics.html
Sucks for the developing world, hopefully we can cure it once and for all.