A team of researchers from Nanjing and Xiamen Universities in China has developed an alternative to using viruses to transport CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing tools into a desired cell—and it involves two types of light. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the group describes their new type of carrier and how well it worked with test mice.
CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing tools are a coming revolution in treating genetic conditions, and scientists continue to test their abilities in a variety of applications. One area of study has involved looking for a replacement carrier system—the current approach uses a virus to carry the gene editing tool into a particular cell. Early on, researchers knew that the virus approach was not viable because of possible responses from the immune system, or worse, the threat of initiating tumors. In this new effort, the team in China has come up with an entirely new way to deliver the gene editing tool using two kinds of light.
Their carrier system consists of nanoparticles that are sensitive to low-energy near–infrared radiation (NIR) and that emit UV light. When NIR is shone on the nanoparticles, the light is absorbed and converted to UV light, which is emitted. Inside of a cell, the package is activated by shining NIR onto the skin, where it penetrates into the body and makes its way to the gene editing tool. When the NIR is converted to UV light, it cuts molecules in the carrier package, releasing the gene editing tool to do its work.
Artificial cells created inside the lab have taken another major step forward, with scientists developing cells that are able to produce their own chemical energy and synthesise parts of their own construction.
That makes these artificial cells a lot more like real, biological cells – cells that can construct and organise their own building blocks naturally.
Not only could this help us understand how real cells work and come into being in the first place, it could also be vital for a host of other areas of research – such as ongoing efforts to produce artificial organs and other body tissue to fight back against disease.
Hundreds of giant viruses that infect bacteria have been discovered. Some seem to deploy CRISPR – the system used for gene editing – to fight their hosts.
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This video is a book review of Telomere Lengthening: Curing all diseases including cancer & aging by Dr. Bill Andrews and Jon Cornell.
Dr. Bill Andrews commented on this book review shorting after it was uploaded to YouTube. Here’s Dr. Andrews’ comment: Great Review Brent!!! And, yes, I would love to do an interview with you. And, yes, I am coming out with a new book soon. The most potent telomerase inducer, TAM818 (www.defytime.com) produces 16% of the amount of telomerase to stop telomere shortening. Gene Editing is different than Gene Therapy (also called Gene Delivery). In our Gene Therapy (www.libellagt.com) we are delivering (not editing) the telomerase gene to human cells. Liz Parrish did Gene Therapy, not Gene Editing, though she does have big plans of doing Gene Editing also in the future. My books are also available in other languages at www.defytime.com. The reason that I wrote both books is to answer all the questions that people ask me when I speak on stage. It’s not meant to be a matter of opinion that needs scientific support. That is because most of what I say is not controversial at all. It is all widely accepted by the scientific community. Adding references would have just made the book more technical than I wanted. Nevertheless, the one chapter on “Telomerase Does Not Cause Cancer” is controversial and so, not only did I provide references, I provided a link so readers could read the full text scientific peer reviewed studies. Other than that chapter both books should be considered just aids to help others explain the field. The fact that I didn’t include a biography of myself is because the book isn’t about me. I am not trying to promote myself. I am just trying to make the world aware of the field so that more people would take an interest in supporting it; whether it is my lab or others. For those that want to know more about me my bio can be found at https://www.sierrasci.com/bill-andrews-bio. I sure hope Warren Buffet, Warren Buffet’s friend, or Dr. Peter Attia hear this book review!!! Thanks Brent!!!!
Researchers from Yale and a medical company called Humacyte have published the results of a long term study that shows engineered blood vessels that are implanted into humans eventually evolved into living tissue. The vessels are known as bioengineered acellular human vessels (HAVs).
Prof Jennifer Doudna, one the pioneers of Crispr-Cas9 gene editing, explains how this revolutionary discovery enables precise changes to our DNA, which can be used to correct mutations that cause genetic diseases and eradicate them from a germ line. Doudna raises the key issues of debate around gene editing and suggests what will have the most immediate impact.
