1 reply to this topic

[VictorBjoerk]

http
://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/200...-oso102209.php


Born with a retinal disease that made him legally blind, and would eventually leave him totally sightless, the nine-year-old boy used to sit in the back of the classroom, relying on the large print on an electronic screen and assisted by teacher aides. Now, after a single injection of genes that produce light-sensitive pigments in the back of his eye, he sits in front with classmates and participates in class without extra help. In the playground, he joins his classmates in playing his first game of softball.

The greatest improvements occurred in the children, all of whom are now able to navigate a low-light obstacle course—one result that the researchers call "spectacular."

[Shoe]

I read that gene therapy was showing great promise one or two decades ago, but that it suffered a bunch of setbacks, making people dismiss the method almost entirely. It seems like those people will now have to reconsider things.

Edited by Shoe, 25 October 2009 - 01:32 AM.