Important Innovations

Genetically Putting Mosquitos on Self-Destruct Africa's Malaria-Endemic Countries DNA Editing Malaria is among the world's worst scourges.  In Africa in 2016, 194 million people were infected by malaria and nearly half a million died from it.  The deadly disease is caused by a parasite and transmitted by mosquito bites. Imperial College London Biologists A team of biologists at Imperial College London may have the weapon to end the scourge.  They've successfully gene-edited mosquitos to self-destruct.  They've targeted a patch of DNA that never varies.  By gene editing the female mosquitos into infertility, the population becomes extinct within 5 to 11 generations. Potential:  Malaria Eliminated within 2 Decades If this gene editing is as successful as lab tests have been, the scientists believe malaria could be eliminated within 2 decades.  Computer models indicate that in the wild mosquito populations could be made extinct by the techn...

Successful Treatment on Dogs with the Disease London and Dallas Research Team  For the first time, there is real hope for a potential cure for Muscular Dystrophy.  A team of scientists from the Royal Veterinary College in London and UT Southwestern Medical College in Dallas used gene therapy on dogs with the disease.  They repaired a gene mutation that triggers the fatal condition. Editing DNA This is an important step in the process to edit DNA in people with the fatal disease.  20,000 children, mostly boys, are diagnosed with it every year.  Muscular Dystrophy is caused by a gene mutation that stops production of dystrophin, a protein that's essential to healthy muscle function.  Without the protein muscles dramatically deteriorate. More Research The research was published in the journal Science.  The scientists successfully used gene editing in 4 dogs with the disease.  The procedure restored the production of dystrophin in the ...