• Question: Is there any way to mutate a bactera, virus or fungus so that it can have positive outcomes for our bodies and immune systems?

    Asked by danielm10 to MarkF on 18 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Mark Fogg

      Mark Fogg answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      It is certainly possible to mutate bacteria, viruses and fungi in a way we choose and they can be used to benefit the body.
      Cystic Fibrosis is a disease that damages the lungs and is caused by a damaged gene. Researchers are working on ways to get a virus to deliver a good copy of the gene into cells in the lungs. This is called gene therapy.

Comments

  • Photo: danielm10

    danielm10 commented on :

    so have researchers found an actual way of curing Cystic fibrosis, or is the cure still being discovered?

    • Photo: MarkF

      MarkF commented on :

      Unfortunately there is still no cure for Cystic Fibrosis. It is one of the best researched human conditions, but as it is a genetic disorder, finding a cure is very difficult and gene therapy is only one approach being tried. The treatments currently available largely relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life of those people with the condition. If you need or want more in formation then you can find it here:
      http://www.cftrust.org.uk/
      There is lots of info on what the disease is all about, some of the treatments being tested and research being done. They even mention gene therapy.