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Gene Therapy

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Gene therapy. These words to some seem frightening and new, but make no mistake, research has shown that gene therapy used on terrible diseases such a cystic fibrosis provide promising results to finding cures in the future (“How Does Gene Therapy Work?”). Cystic fibrosis is a terrifying hereditary condition that affects a person’s endocrine gland causing thick mucus to block one’s bronchi, pancreatic ducts, and intestines (About Cystic Fibrosis). It is a recessive trait, which means that two people who unknowingly both carry one copy of the disease could give it to their children (Genes (Higher Tier only): Recessive and dominant alleles). Unfortunately, this is a life threatening condition, but can it be stopped? Research has shown that gene therapy can place normal genes into a person’s cells to treat the damaged cells for possible long-term effects (Hirsch 2). Although the potential risk is great, the reward of saving hundreds of people each year through the use of gene therapy is far greater.
To recap, cystic fibrosis is a single recessive trait on gene 7 of some human beings (About Cystic Fibrosis). The goal of gene therapy is to fix this at the source of the problem by adding a correct copy of the defective gene (“How Does Gene Therapy Work?”). Instead of just covering up the problem such as some medicines do, this aims to annihilate the problem altogether (Learn Genetics: Gene Therapy). Cystic fibrosis also happens to be a perfect candidate for gene therapy since it only occurs on a single gene (Learn Genetics: Gene Therapy) and cells that have the cystic fibrosis gene present will not affect cells that do not (About Cystic Fibrosis). Also, since the lungs can be so easily accessed through the air one breathes, the resea...

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..., and Eric Alton. "Gene Therapy for Cystic Fibrosis." Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society 7: 408-414. ATSJournals. Web. 15 May 2014.
"Genes (Higher Tier only): Recessive and dominant alleles." . BBC, 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 15 May 2014. .
"Gene Therapy Timeline." . Cystic Fibrosisis , 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 15 May 2014. .
Hirsch, Larissa. "Gene Therapy." . The Nemours Foundation, 1 Apr. 2014. Web. 16 May 2014. .
“How Does Gene Therapy Work?” YouTube. Youtube,16 July 2013. Web.17 May 2014.
"Learn Genetics: Gene Therapy." . University Of Utah, 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 7 May 2014. .
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