Scientists replace defective DNA with equivalent healthy DNA in battle against mitochondrial disease.

Swapping out DNA to Fight Disease

The Burrill Report

“The method has the potential to dramatically alter treatment of now-incurable mitochondrial diseases.”

Scientists at the Oregon Health & Science University have successfully replaced defective DNA in a human egg with the equivalent DNA from a healthy egg, potentially preventing women from passing on several rare mitochondrial disorders to their offspring.

In the latest study, an extension of a 2009 study performed on monkeys that led to healthy live births, many of the eggs containing the transplanted, healthy, mitochondrial DNA were properly fertilized and went on to produce healthy human embryos.

 

http://www.burrillreport.com/article-swapping_out_dna_to_fight_disease.html