Scientists are used to being cautious. But I was reading this article and I was beside clapping for the science!
See, whenever we get very good results from our experiments, we always tell ourselves "let’s test this some more", "let’s confirm this in some other population". Well, let’s. But the results of this new study are so encouraging that we ought to celebrate with virtual champagne!
Gene therapy has successfully treated sickle cell anemia in mice! OK, so it’s in mice but read on first.
The scientists introduced the gene for gamma-globin into the mice’s blood-forming cells and then introduced …read more

Being diagnosed with a genetic disease, and one that has no cure or treatment, is probably one of most heart-wrenching news ever. To be told that one has Alzheimer’s disease for example, or one is a very high risk or diagnosis of some incurable form of cancer, what does one do? How does one handle it?
I read about Christina Applegate’s diagnosis of breast cancer, and her decision to have double mastectomy because of the high risk she carries. She kept it hidden from everyone but the closest family members and her make-up artist. I read of it weeks …read more