Base-edited T-Cells cure cancer...

[glazbagun]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63859184

This is a pretty amazing development.

Girl had cancerous T-Cells meaning her immune system was the problem, so they modified healthy cells to attack all unmodified T-Cells and can now replace them via bone marrow transplant having cleared out her own.

Sounds like this latter stage hasn't been completed yet so a bit early for celebration, but probably the coolest DNA manipulation I've seen in the news for a while.

[dukeboy749r]

Hopefully, one of the 'game changing' breakthroughs needed to truly combat cancer.

[Chainsaw Rebuild]

That's so impressive! Everyone involved must be wildly happy.

I like to imagine the Scientists and Dr's responsible are strutting around like Ghost Busters on payday - they would be well within their rights to do so!

[Simpo Two]

Certainly a league beyond gene swapping.

'Base editing allows scientists to zoom to a precise part of the genetic code and then alter the molecular structure of just one base, converting it into another and changing the genetic instructions.' 'Sickle-cell anaemia, for example, is caused by just one base change that could be corrected.'

What I'm not clear about is whether they change a base pair, or just one of the pair. It seems to imply one, but then it wouldn't fit with the other one. A-T and C-G are specific pairs; you can't have A-C, G-T etc.

[Stuart70]

I read the report on this earlier today. I agree it reads as a joyous, momentous thing. Not least for that first little girl.

[CloudStuff]

Yoyfull, joyous! Absoutely amazing and will give hope to so many people, parents, families and kids.

As a very unimportant side-note, I wonder if this could be that rare thing - an argument-, enemy-, bickering and op-blame- free thread? Sure it has to be?

[gt_12345]

We should be throwing money at this sort of stuff, instead of........... well, take a look at what we do spend on!