Gene Therapy

Gene therapy refers to a group of actual or future medical treatments that are aimed at changing the genetic structure of cells with defective genes that are causing disease. This may be attempted by trying to reverse the mutation of a gene, inserting a new genome into the genetic sequence, substitution of a normal gene for an abnormal (disease-causing) one and other techniques. The type of medical problem that can be remedied through this type of technology has customarily been untreatable until these advances were made. This includes genetic diseases, sickle cell thalassaemia, leukemia, and similar problems. Technical problems that have hampered the progress of gene therapy include the problems caused by the human immune system, which is designed to resist foreign intrusions into the ...