This is so cool....

[quesarah]

A biotech firm (from Cleveland no less, go homies!) has announced that they have successfully used DNA nanoparticles to transfect non-dividing cells. This is potentially huge; 'til now scientists and physicians were dependent on viral delivery systems to do gene therapy. As one may expect, there are a lot of problems inherent in viral delivery; the field has been at an impasse for several years. If this technique holds water, it could mean great advances in research and medicine.

Or maybe you have to be a biology geek to get excited about it.

Comments

[drealle.livejournal.com]

I'm also excited. Gene therapy has gone from bad to worse, lately, especially with initially successfully-treated SCID babies later developing <a href="http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nbt/journal/v21/n3/full/nbt0303-217.html>leukemia</a>. However, now we have an alternative. Yay! :)

[biogeekgrrl.livejournal.com]

No kidding, it's wonderful that technology is advancing. No one wanted to use lenti delivery systems, and adeno delivery systems cause terrific immune responses. This news really gave me hope for future therapeutic breakthroughs.