Using Genetic 'editing' stem cells to combat HIV/AIDS.

        Harvard Stem Cell Institute researchers are currently developing a new technique to try and fight HIV/AIDS. The technique is genetically editing a persons cells to block HIV from entering and destroying a persons immune system. This is the first group to publish a report using CRISPR Cas technology to "edit relevant genes out of cells collected directly from people. The people behind this research are Chad Cowan and Derrick Rossi associate professors in Harvard's Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology.

       HIV targets T cells in the blood based immune system. It enters the system through a gene receptor called CCR5. Once the HIV has entered the system it kills and replicates all of the host cells. Leaving the immune system prey to a host of infectious virus and diseases. Cowan and Rossi are using the CRISPR gene-editing technology "Cowan and Rossi teams knocked the CCR5 receptor out of blood stem cells that they showed give rise to differentiated blood cells that did not have CCR5. In theory, such gene-edited stem cells could be introduced into HIV patients via bone marrow transplantation, the procedure used to transplant blood stem cells into leukemia patients, to give rise to HIV-resistant immune systems."
      The reason why this research has arrived is because it is relatively close to the technique that cured Timothy Ray Brown of HIV. Brown is considered to be the only person who has been cured from HIV. Brown got a bone marrow transplant from someone with a rare genetic defect that left the person free of the CCR5 receptor. After six years of these transplants he is considered to be cured of HIV. The technique that Cowan and Rossi are using is close to this technique except it uses the persons own cells, instead of trying to find a rare bone marrow donator who does not have the CCR5 receptor.
      Although the researchers think this technique could be used on humans in less then five years, they realize the battle they still face. They have listed three cautions of the research. The first the researchers realize they could run into unexpected complications. The also know that the HIV/AIDS community is flooded with "cures" that don't actually cure anything. The third the researchers know that there could be an issue trying to make this applicable in areas where the epidemic has hit the hardest. Overall, I think this technique could be the first step to eventually help fight or possibly cure HIV/AIDS.

Original Article
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/285077.php 
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http://news.sciencemag.org/health/2014/09/how-did-berlin-patient-rid-himself-hiv