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Studies are ongoing when it comes to fighting diseases. Some of the most sophisticated studies are aimed at treating diseases that are, at present, deemed untreatable. HIV has been the subject of many studies, and the symptoms have been much more manageable in recent years. However, the cure has not been found. Once diagnosed with HIV, it is a lifetime sentence.
New technology oriented around gene editing techniques has started to be aimed at alleviating HIV. So far, the studies are in the early stages and have not been tested on humans. Rodents are the test subjects for now, even though they do not harbor the disease in the same way. Scientists, however, introduced the HIV genes into these animals and used a method of gene editing called CRISPR to take out the HIV gene. This is a very exact process, as the DNA of the rat, bust stays intact. Only the HIV gene should be removed.
READ MORE: Gene Editing Can Be The Answer to Diseases
This method is very simple and is administered by simple injections. The simplicity of the procedure is key, as it can be given anywhere. A majority of HIV sufferers are in undeveloped countries. If this cure works, it can be taken anywhere around the globe and provided in even the worst conditions very quickly.
The CRISPR gene editing technique is comparable to a pair of scissors. Once administered, it goes in and “cuts” out the offending gene. This, of course, requires an extreme measure of precision. If the wrong gene is disturbed, there could be dire consequences. Gene editing has also been used in a cancer case in the United Kingdom. This new technology is, however, causing ethical debates. Gene editing in many cases is aimed at making very significant changes to one’s body in hopes of curing a disease. Some scientists are considering this to be an inevitable progression in the medical field, while other specialists are questioning the right and wrong aspects of it.
Read More: Medicine.Temple.Edu
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