Sunday, December 6, 2020

Sickle Cell Disease gene therapy

 



In this article I came across, the main topic discussed was Sickle Cell Disease. Sickle Cell is caused by a genetic defect that causes normally pliable red blood cells to become hard and sticky, this causes it to form a C-shape, like a sickle. It is an inherited red blood cell disorder, in which there isnt enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen. The abnormal blood cells often die early, causing anemia and clots in small blood vessels. The clots have the possibility of triggering a wide range of painful and life-threatening complications. In order to have this disease, it must be inherited from the parents. The article mentions how researchers are mentioning gene therapy treatments for Sickle cell, a pair of new gene therapies promise a potential lasting cure by subtly altering the genetic information in a patient's bone marrow cells. I think that having a possible long-lasting cure is a huge step in the right direction, although not everyone develops symptoms, this will be helping those who suffer from periodic episodes of pain, swelling, and frequent infections. 

https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2020-12-05/could-gene-therapy-cure-sickle-cell-disease-two-new-studies-raise-hopes

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/sicklecell/facts.html


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