It wasn’t too long ago that scientist had limited knowledge about the genetic contributors that cause human disease. In today’s advancing technology, treatments for genetic diseases like ALS and Sickle Cell Anemia are being revolutionized. According to the National Institute of Health, “The Human Genome Project has already fueled the discovery of more than 1,800 disease genes.” The mapped out genome contains valuable information on the genes of an organism and the necessary instructions that aid in the process of carrying out bodily functions. This international project has not only catapulted biomedicine and research, but it has led to an innovative approach to potentially treat and prevent life-threatening diseases; Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) is the technology that can edit DNA and renovate the genetic code.
The ingenious technology mimics the method in which bacteria approaches imposing viruses. It has a unique system of recognition that can recall an error and cut it out of the DNA. Many people are now utilizing CRISPR as a new approach to treating diseases. Dr. Feng Zhang, professor of the Departments of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Biological Engineering at MIT, is one of these individuals, who is using the technology. Zhang is using a liquid that contains billions of CRISPR molecules that will work wonders once it is applied to cells. Currently, scientists are testing various ways to apply it to an organism. Some include skin grafts, gels, and ear injections. The genetically modifying tool is taking research light years ahead of time and may help find cures to diseases such as cancer. Zhang reported in an interview that, “There are about 6,000 or more diseases that are caused by faulty genes.” The creative use of CRISPR will now positively impact thousands of these harmful genes. When a mutation in DNA occurs, that happens to cause disease, the body understands it as a misspelled word. However, CRISPR reads those errors in DNA and cuts them out to replace with desired chemical bases. This microscopic editor will change the outcomes of heritable diseases for future generations.
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