Stem cells, gene therapy on path to treating sickle cell disease

Using a patient’s own stem cells, researchers have corrected the genetic fault that causes sickle cell disease (SCD).

John Hopkins Medicine 28 September 2011

TechNyou

Just a clarifying note. Even though the research team removed the bone marrow stem cells, turned them into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), and then using gene therapy techniques added a functional copy of the haemoglobin gene, the cells were not reinserted into the patient. I am guessing that this is because the cells were iPSC which means to get this way they would have to be genetically modified making them unsuitable for placing in the human body.

As the researchers state this is early stage research

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