A groundbreaking new study reports that researchers were able to use gene therapy to eradicate HIV in mice. Now the team is considering how to turn that into a life-saving cure for humans.
"We actually have the tools now to go into the genome of a live animal — and inevitably into a person — and clip out, or excise out, the infectious HIV, in a means, or a pathway, towards a cure," said Howard Gendelman, a professor of internal medicine and infectious diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, during an interview with Cheddar on Friday.
The treatment, which was discovered by teams at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Temple University, works by "dampening down" the HIV virus through an antiretroviral therapy called LASER ART, and then using the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 — essentially a genetic "scissor" — to remove genes impacted by the virus.
The method led to a "total elimination" of the virus in nine of 23 animals, Gendelman said. It is the first time the virus has been completely eradicated from an animal, according to a UNMC press release.
But Gendelman cautions that applying the technique to humans requires both improving the technology for locating DNA impacted by the virus, and ensuring that the treatment doesn't damage other vital portions of the human genome.
"Every single HIV DNA that's integrated into the genome of a live host has to be excised. So we must develop even better technologies than we've developed in mice to discover where that latent virus is," explained Gendelman. "That's a major part of the research efforts ongoing now."
"We're manipulating the human genome. We're treating an HIV infection as if it was a genetic disorder. We're going into the genome and changing the structure, essentially using the HIV as a bad gene and cutting it out," he added. "So if we do that, we have to understand that there's a possibility that other genes can be affected."
More than 70 million people are reported to have been infected with HIV, according to the World Health Organization. The U.N. agency estimated that in 2017, more than 35 million people were living with the virus.
Stan Farnsworth, chief marketing officer at PulseForge, joined Cheddar to talk about his company's debut at CES 2022 and how it plans to innovate the sustainable tech manufacturing space. PulseForge is bringing a new approach to industrial thermal processing, which contributes to 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to Farnsworth. "By using 85 percent less energy in the processing of materials through a variety of manufacturing processes, we can make a direct impact in reducing carbon output and reducing carbon footprint associated with manufacturing," he said.
The U.S. will be implementing a vaccine mandate for all people entering through its land borders, removing exemptions for "essential" travelers such as truckers, students, and business people. While the Canadian Trucking Alliance argues that the new, stricter rule might exacerbate ongoing auto supply chain issues, some health experts see the potential for helping curb the ongoing pandemic. Anthony Santella, a professor of health administration at the University of New Haven, joined Cheddar to give his take on the updated border crossing restriction. "We can't just focus on one type of travel. We need to ensure that it's clear and consistent across all types of travel," Santella said.
Mona Zhang, states cannabis policy reporter at POLITICO Pro joins Cheddar News to discuss major factors that caused Canada's retail marijuana sales to drop last year.
To encourage and inspire young women to pursue careers in STEAM, or science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, Space VIP has officially launched its New York Space Prize Challenge. Young women enrolled in the public school system within New York's five boroughs and are between the ages of 15 to 18 are welcomed to participate. Executive Director of Space Prize, Kim Macharia, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
According to a recent report from NASA and NOAA, the last eight years have been the eight hottest years on record. Director of NASA's Goddard Institute For Space Studies Gavin Schmidt, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Aditi Mayer, a climate justice activist joins Cheddar News to discuss her partnership with DoSomething.org and how a new PSA is working to shine a light on environmental racism.
The drama surrounding tennis star Novak Djokovic continues after he was deported from Australia over the weekend due to the nation's COVID-19 vaccine requirements. Djokovic was forced to leave the country on the eve of what was to be his first match in defense of his Australian Open title after three judges ruled in favor of his removal and revealed their reasoning for doing so. Adding to his woes, a law recently passed in France is putting his chances of defending his French Open title in jeopardy. The director of Marist's Center for Sports Communication, Jane McManus, joined Cheddar to discuss the ongoing fallout.
On this episode of Cheddar Innovates: Vrai CEO discusses the process of creating lab grown diamonds, Entrupy CEO breaks down how the app uses artificial intelligence to analyze authenticity for luxury goods and sneakers; A look at Curiosity Stream's 'Red Elvis.'
The Department of Agriculture has officially unveiled its plan to fight catastrophic wildfires that have devastated parts of the West in the last few years. The department, along with the Forest Service will work to significantly increase fuels and forest health treatments to address the escalating crisis of wildfire danger. Executive Editor of Cipher, a publication by Breakthrough Energy, Amy Harder, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
