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(ThyBlackMan.com) It is difficult to argue against the fact that those among us who insist that they do not see color are balanced between being well-meaning and nave. My familiarity with such types is best expressed by an unemotional reaction to their pleadings for me to join the ranks of the historically illiterate.

Despite what the color-blind brigade believes, I understand that their emotional state vacillates between moments of frustration and uncontrollable white-rage. This matter is at the forefront of my mind due to a recent Facebook posting from what appears to be a well-meaning White lady who insists that she does not see color.

As stated above, I understand that her passion flows from a desperate desire to see all of her countrymen living in harmony. However, she fails to comprehend a fact provided by a former student who posited that America will never get past Race. It is who we are. So how can we ever get past it?

Although I agreed with my students assertion that impressively echoes W.E.B. DuBois ominous warning that the color line will be the problem of the twentieth century, I realized that the source of this post vehemently disagrees with such sensibility.

Experience has taught me that the color-blind brigade wishes for a simpler time that never existed. A cursory examination of their beliefs reveals that We never were what they thought we used to be. Many of their numbers have foolishly advanced the assertion that If we stopped talking about Race it would simply go away!!!!!

I can only imagine that if my exchange with the lady who created the alluded to post were in-person and not via social media that she would scream that I dont see color!!!!! I only see human beings to my face.

Im convinced that the color-blind argument, albeit well-meaning, primarily results from what can only be termed a loose use of language. Put simply; these people do not realize what they are actually saying in their fits of rage. If provided the opportunity to meet with representatives of the color-blind brigade, I would ask them to provide a description of me. I am certain that they would avoid physical descriptors such as my status as an African-American male.

What members of the color-blind brigade fail to consider is that their steadfast denial of physical traits is not complementary to those they are seeking to aid in their color-blindness. It is extremely insulting. They are in effect saying that they must deny a portion of my being to accept me or you. If provided the opportunity, I would advise the color-blind brigade to abandon their standard phraseology in favor of the following.

I recognize your racial identity; however, I do not ascribe any negative characteristics to you because of it.

Trust me when I say that this slight verbal alteration will make a major difference to all and hopefully open a long-overdue dialogue about Race in America.

Staff Writer;Dr. James Thomas Jones III

Official website;http://www.ManhoodRaceCulture.com

One may also connect with this brother viaTwitter;DrJamestJones.

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The Offensiveness Of Color-Blindness In America. - ThyBlackMan

The review article focuses on free radicals and oxidative stress involved in ophthalmological diseases such as retinopathy, cataract, glaucoma, etc. Oxidative stress is considered as a key factor involved in the pathology of many chronic diseases including ophthalmic complication and inflammatory process. Oxidative stress and inflammation are closely related pathophysiological processes and are simultaneously found in many pathological conditions. The free radicals produced oxidize cellular components such as lipids and phospholipids leading to lipid peroxidation and trigger the onset of retinopathy. Cataract is a significant cause of visual disability and it is proposed that the high incidence is related to oxidative stress induced by continued intraocular penetration of light and consequent photochemical generation of free radical oxidants. Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness and comprises a group of diseases characterized by progressive optic nerve degeneration. Oxidative injury and altered antioxidant defense mechanisms in glaucoma appear to play a role in the pathophysiology of glaucomatous neurodegeneration that is characterized by death of retinal ganglion cells. The UVB radiations through this way may cause a number of diseases like photo-keratitis, pterygium, damage to epithelium, edema, and corneal cell apoptosis.: ROS: reactive oxygen species; RNS: reactive nitrogen species; O: superoxide anion; HO: hydrogen peroxide;. OH: hydroxyl radicals; ONOO, ONO peroxynitrite; NO: nitric oxide; IOP: intraocular pressure; RGC: retinal ganglion cells. WHO: World Health Organization; IAPB: International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.

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Biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in ophthalmic disorders. - Physician's Weekly

Sounds Right, a seven-piece band, is playing a charity night at Penwortham Arts Centre "The Venue".

Sounds Right, a seven-piece function band, will entertain music lovers on Saturday, February 29th, at Penwortham Arts Centre "The Venue" in Liverpool Road from 7pm to 10pm.

The event has been organised by Penwortham Town Council in aid of Cancer Research UK and Galloway's Society for the Blind, which is based in Howick House, Penwortham.

Trumpet player Chris Andrew said: "We think it's really important because unfortunately some members of the band have been treated by cancer specialists, so we would like to give something back."

Sounds Right formed nine months ago and comprises ex-military/police officers and cruise ship musicians. Boasting both male and female vocals, the band plays a wide range of genres, including rock and roll, Latin and traditional ballroom, and incorporates the trumpet, trombone, saxophone, keyboard, bass and drums.

Chris added: "We're called Sounds Right because our music sounds right for any occasion. I don't think Penwortham has had an event like this before so it will offer something unique."

For more information, contact Chris on 07968 185922.

The rest is here:
This musical charity night raising awareness of cancer and blindness is heading to Penwortham - Lancashire Post

Researchers have identified a new protein linked to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that could offer new hope for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease, which affects more than 1.5 million people in the UK alone.

The research team, made up of scientists from Cardiff University, Queen Mary University of London, the University of Manchester, and Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, found significantly higher levels of a protein called factor H-related protein 4 (FHR-4) in the blood of AMD patients.

Further investigation, using eye tissue donated for medical research, showed the presence of the FHR-4 protein within the macula the specific region of the eye affected by the disease.

The results of the study, published today in Nature Communications, open up new routes for the early diagnosis, by measuring FHR-4 levels in the blood, and suggests therapies targeting this protein could provide promising future treatment options for the disease.

Professor Paul Morgan, an expert in complement biology at Cardiff University, and leader in the development of the antibodies and assays that underpinned this work, said: The collaboration between experts in complement biology, eye disease and genetics across Europe has enabled the accumulation of a robust body of evidence that genetically dictated FHR-4 levels in plasma are an important predictor of risk of developing AMD.

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International team delivers research breakthrough for leading cause of blindness - Mirage News

An Emirati man donated Dh10.5 million to a campaign that aims to end river blindness.

Bader Al Hilali, a philanthropist, made the donation to the Reach Campaign, an Emirates Red Crescent-organised drive that targets neglected tropical diseases, which are little known in the wider world but devastating for sufferers.

"It gives me immense pride to support the Reach Campaign and join its noble goal to end river blindness. I am particularly pleased the campaign launched first in the UAE, further illustrating our culture of generosity and

humanity. I look forward to seeing our community come together to tackle this urgent issue and help improve the lives of millions around the world," Mr Al Hilali said on Wednesday.

The Reach Campaign launched two weeks ago and uses the theme Give 2, Save 2 meaning that a Dh2 donation is enough to provide the medicine and treatment to protect one person against both diseases for an entire year - to encourage donations.

More than 200 million people worldwide require treatment for river blindness, one of the leading causes of preventable blindness. It is caused by repeated bites by black flies that live near flowing water.

Like many neglected tropical diseases, river blindness disproportionately affects the worlds most vulnerable people, trapping their families in cycles of poverty. Most of the cases are found in 31 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Proceeds from the campaign will go to the Reaching the Last Mile Fund, which delivers prevention and treatment across seven countries in Africa and the Middle East.

All the information can be found on the Reach website and using the social media handle, @reachtheendorg.

Updated: February 13, 2020 01:56 PM

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Emirati donates Dh10.5m to campaign to end river blindness - The National

Abstract / Synopsis:

AAV8-RPGR gene therapy for X-linked retinitis pigmentosa showed early responses to treatment at one month with increased retinal sensitivity with retinal toxicity.

This article was reviewed by Paulo E. Stanga, MD

The results of treatment of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP) with AAV8-RPGR gene therapy proved to be early and effective with durable improvements in vision occurring as early as one month following treatment.

XLRP, a rare disease that comprises 10% to 20% of RP worldwide, affects mostly males, and 70% of the cases are caused by RPGR gene mutations and 60% of those are caused by gene mutations in RPGR-ORF15. In this form of RP, the median age of blindness is 45 years, which is younger than the other forms.

Disease progression occurs in stages, with nyctalopia manifesting in the early stage, peripheral visual field constriction in the middle stage, and central visual deterioration and visual loss in the end stage, according to Paulo E. Stanga, MD, professor of Ophthalmology and Retinal Regeneration, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and University of Manchester, London, UK.

Related: Gene therapy offering hope for retinal, corneal patients

The RPGR mutations cause abnormal transport across the cilium, where RPGR is located, and this abnormal transport results in photoreceptor death.

Obviously, this leads to loss of retinal sensitivity across the visual field and loss of visual acuity, he said.

The treatment that Dr. Stanga and colleagues devised has the goal of correcting the full length of the RPGR-ORF15 mRNA.

We aim for yields of high expression levels that are four times higher than the expression levels of the wild-type RPGR, he explained.

Related: Research targets precision data for gene, cell therapy

Six-month Phase I resultsDr. Stanga and colleagues are currently conducting a two-year dose-escalation clinical trial. The study included men who were 18 years and older with genetically confirmed XLRP. All patients had active disease that was visible bilaterally in the maculas. The study included six cohorts, with the following levels of affect vision: 1, better than light perception; 2 and 3, 34 to 73 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters; and 4, 5, and 6, greater than 34 ETDRS letters.

The primary endpoint was the incidence of dose-limiting toxicities and treatment-emergent adverse events. The secondary endpoints were the changes in microperimetry, visual stability, and changes in the ellipsoidal zone on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, Dr. Stanga recounted.

The patients underwent a surgical procedure that included creation of a bleb followed by injection of the virus vector within the bleb.

Related: New vitreoretinal tools advancing surgical outcomes

The investigators evaluated the early effects of changes in the retinal sensitivity in the central retina using microperimetry (Maia, Centervue). The central 16 retinal loci represent 8 degrees of vision; an improvement of five of the central 16 loci equals a 30% improvement in the central visual field. An improvement of 7 dB represents five times greater light sensitivity, he explained.

One month after treatment, Dr. Stanga reported that there was a significant improvement in microperimetry in six of the 12 treated eyes in cohorts 3 to 6 that occurred at one month after vector injection; these cohorts received therapeutic doses. Cohorts 1 and 2, which received subtherapeutic doses, showed no changes.

Cohort 3 showed a mean improvement in the mean retinal sensitivity of 5 to 6 dB in the central 16 retinal loci between the treated and untreated eyes. The improvement became apparent at one month and remained relatively stable at three and six months, Dr. Stanga reported.

According to Dr. Stanga, these changes in retinal sensitivity differed from those observed in untreated eyes in the central 16 retinal loci. The untreated eyes showed decreases in retinal sensitivity over time.

Related: Surgeons provides pearls for handling retinal tears

The microperimetry heat maps also reflected the changes in the treated eyes with enlargement of the sensitive areas.

The investigators also reported that they also determined that the gene therapy with AAV8-RPGR gene therapy for XLRP was generally well tolerated.

No patients left the study and no dose-limiting toxicities were readily apparent.

Transient inflammation developed in the higher cohorts that responded to systemic steroid therapy. Two ocular adverse effects were related to the procedure or drug.

ConclusionsWe demonstrated proof of concept with durable dose-related improvements that appeared as early as one month after treatment across multiple microperimetry analyses, Dr. Stanga concluded. The preliminary efficacy signals were exhibited in cohorts 3 to 6, which responded to the highest doses.

Read more by Lynda Charters

Paulo E. Stanga, MDE: [emailprotected]This article is based on Dr. Stanga's presentation at the American Academy of Ophthalmology 2019 annual meeting. Dr. Stanga has no financial interest in this subject matter.

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Gene therapy offers treatment for X-linked retinitis pigmentosa - Modern Retina

The Emirates Red Crescent River Blindness campaign landing page Image Credit: Supplied

Dubai: Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) have launched a campaign to eradicate river blindness, a tropical disease caused by an infection from a parasitic worm, that affects more than 200 million people worldwide.

According to ERC, a donation of Dh2 can provide the medicine and treatment to protect one person from river blindness, lymphatic filariasis and several other co-endemic diseases for the entire year.

Around 21 million people worldwide are infected with river blindness while 217 million people are at risk of contracting the disease and 99 per cent of them live in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), who have a plan in place to eradicate river blindness in select African countries by 2020.

Like many NTDs (neglected tropical diseases), river blindness disproportionately affects the worlds most vulnerable people, trapping their families in cycles of poverty. It is a threat to human development, especially in Africa. But together we can help end river blindness and ensure a brighter future for millions, said Dr. Mohammad Ateeq Al Falahi, ERC Secretary-General.

The Reach Campaign to combat river blindness in countries that suffer related health challenges reflects the growing role of the UAE and its leadership in fulfilling human and health needs, and improving lives in fragile and troubled areas, he added.

Proceeds from the campaign will go to the Reaching the Last Mile Fund (RLMF) a 10-year US$100 million (Dh367 million) initiative launched in 2017 by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and several supporters.

RLMF delivers prevention and treatment across seven countries in Africa and the Middle East, including Chad, Ethiopia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sudan and Yemen. The fund will also be used towards the elimination of co-endemic lymphatic filariasis, which can lead to debilitating elephantiasis.

In 2018, the RLMF ahs delivered over 13.5 million treatments for river blindness and trained 76,000 health care workers to help expand treatment and outreach.

Donations can be made online via Emirates Red Crescent and via SMS, kiosks, ATM machines, and donation boxes. More information can be found via the campaign's website and across social media via @reachtheendorg.

River blindness

River blindness (also known as onchocerciasis) is caused by an infection from a parasitic worm transmitted by blackflies, which breed in fast-flowing streams and rivers. The worms produce larvae that move to the skin, eyes and other organs could lead to debilitating itching, disfiguring skin conditions and sight loss (including irreversible blindness). With these conditions, river blindness has an enormous impact on the lives of those infected by reducing their ability to work and study in school.

In numbers

21 million people worldwide are infected with river blindness217 million are at risk of contracting the disease99 per cent of them live in Sub-Saharan Africa

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Abu Dhabi-based charity seeks Dh2 donation to end river blindness - Gulf News

Stickler syndrome is the most common genetic cause of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in children, and has a high risk of blindness. Type I (STL1) is the most common subtype, caused by COL2A1 mutations. This study aims to analyze the mutation spectrum of COL2A1 and further elucidate the genotype-phenotype relationships in the East Asian populations with STL1, which is poorly studied at present.By searching MEDLINE, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang Data, HGMD and Clinvar, all publications associated with STL1 were collected. Then, they were carefully screened to obtain all reported STL1-related variants in COL2A1 and clinical features in East Asian patients with STL1.There were 274 COL2A1 variants identified in 999 patients with STL1 from 466 unrelated families, and more than half of them were truncation mutations. Of the 107 STL1 patients reported in the East Asian population, it was found that patients with truncation mutations had milder systemic phenotypes, whereas patients with splicing mutations had severer phenotypes. In addition, several recurrent variants (c.3106C>T, c.1833+1G>A, c.2710C>T and c.1693C>T) were found.Genotype-phenotype correlations should certainly be studied carefully, contributed to making personalized follow-up plans and predicting prognosis of this disorder. Genome editing holds great potential for treating inherited diseases caused by pathogenic mutations. In this study, several recurrent variants were found, providing potential candidate targets for genetic manipulation in the future.

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Mutation Spectrum of Stickler Syndrome Type I and Genotype-phenotype Analysis in East Asian Population: a systematic review. - Physician's Weekly

In the early 2000s, it was reported that a certain kind of skin cancer treatment called photodynamic therapy, which uses light to destroy malignant cells, had a bizarre side effect: It was giving patients enhanced night time vision.

Rods and cones photoreceptors in a human retina.

Photo Credit: Dr. Robert Fariss, National Eye Institute, NIH / Flickr

"Seeing" happens when a series of receptors in the retina, the cones and rods, collect light. Rods contain a lot of rhodopsin, a photosensitive protein that absorbs visible light thanks to an active compound found in it called retinal. When retinal is exposed to visible light, it splits from rhodopsin. This then allows the light signal to be converted into an electrical signal that the visual cortex of our brains interprets into sight. Of course, there is "less light" at night, which actually means that light radiation is not in a domain visible to humans. It's at higher wavelengths (the infrared level) that retinal is not sensitive to. Hence, why we can't see in the dark like many critters can.

But the vision process can be activated by another interaction of light and chemistry. As it turns out, a chlorin e6 injection under infrared light changes retinal in the same way that visible light does. This is the cause of the unforeseen night vision side effect of the treatment.

"Molecular simulation" is a method that uses an algorithm that integrates the laws of quantum and Newtonian physics to model the functioning of a biological system over time. The team used this method to mimic the biomechanical movements of individual atoms that is, their attraction or repulsion to one another along with the making or breaking of chemical bonds.

"For our simulation we placed a virtual rhodopsin protein inserted in its lipid membrane in contact with several chlorin e6 molecules and water, or several tens of thousands of atoms," Monari explained to CNRS. "Our super-calculators ran for several months and completed millions of calculations before they were able to simulate the entire biochemical reaction triggered by infrared radiation." In nature, this phenomena occurs within fractions of a nanosecond.

The molecular simulation showed that when the chlorin e6 molecule absorbs the infrared radiation, it interacts with the oxygen present in the eye tissue and transforms it into reactive, or singlet, oxygen. In addition to killing cancer cells, "singlet oxygen" can also react with retinal to enable a slightly enhanced eyesight at night, when light waves are at the infrared level.

Now that researchers know why the "supernatural" side effect occurs, they may be able to limit the chance of it happening to patients undergoing photodynamic treatment. Thinking further out, the researchers hope for the possibility that this chemical reaction could be harnessed to help treat certain types of blindness and sensitivity to light.

Ultimately, researchers say that this has been a big flex for the power of molecular simulations, which can give us astonishing scientific insights like this.

"Molecular simulation is already being used to shed light on fundamental mechanisms for example, why certain DNA lesions are better repaired than others and enable the selection of potential therapeutic molecules by mimicking their interaction with a chosen target," Monari told CNRS.

Related Articles Around the Web

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This cancer treatment gives patients night-vision, and we finally know why - Big Think

Here is a look at how RBIs MANI app has been designed to help the differently-abled manage their cash transactions with greater ease.

As per the National Blindness and Visually Impaired survey released by Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan in 2019, the number of people suffering from blindness has declined from 12 million in 2006-07 to 4.8 million last year. Thats certainly a welcome news.

Add to this, to aid the visually challenged in the country, in January 2020, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced a mobile app that can identify a currency notes denomination. The Mobile Aided Note Identifier, or MANI, is freely available for Android and iOS operating systems and also works offline after installation.

It is a great help for the differently abled, especially after the introduction of new notes since demonetization. These banknotes from the Mahatma Gandhi series contained features, like tactile markings and variable note sizes, to help the visually challenged. However, it still resulted in mix-ups during their daily dealings.

MANI app is designed to make it easier for the differently abled to manage their cash transactions independently. Want to know more about the app?

Exclusive offer: Use code "BUDGET2020" and get Moneycontrol Pro's Subscription for as little as Rs 333/- for the first year.

First Published on Feb 12, 2020 07:40 pm

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How MANI aids differently abled to manage their cash transactions - Moneycontrol

High blood pressure relates to ones force of blood against the arteries. The force is a result of the blood pumping out of the heart and into the arteries as well as the force created as the heart rests between heartbeats. When the blood moves through the body at a higher pressure, the tissue that makes up the arteries will begin to stretch and will eventually become damaged. This leads to many problems over time with the condition then affecting the eyes.

High blood pressure can occur after the blood pressure has been consistently high over a prolonged period of time.

A persons blood pressure levels can be affected by a lack of physical activity, being overweight, having a diet with too much salt or leading a stressful lifestyle.

If left untreated, a blood pressure of 180/120 or higher results in 80 percent chance of death within one year, with an average survival rate of ten months.

Prolonged, untreated high blood pressure can also lead to heart attack, stroke, blindness and kidney disease.

READ MORE: How to live longer: The best diet proven to increase life expectancy and ward off cancer

Spotting the early warning signs of the dangerous condition is crucial and developing this symptom in your eyes could mean youre at risk of developing high blood pressure.

If a person has high blood pressure left untreated it may cause a hypertensive crisis.

A hypertensive crisis is divided into two categories: urgent and emergency.

In an urgent hypertensive crisis, the good pressure is extremely high, but the doctors dont suspect there has been any damage to the organs.

In an emergency hypertensive crisis, the blood pressure is extremely high and has caused damage to the organs.

Signs of a hypertensive crisis may include severe chest pain, severe headache and nausea.

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What is hypertensive retinopathy?

The retina is the tissue layer located in the back of the eye.

This layer transforms light into nerve signals that are then sent to the brain for interpretation.

When blood pressure is too high, the retinas blood vessel walls may thicken. This may cause the blood vessels to become narrow, which then restricts blood from reaching the retina.

In some cases, the retina becomes swollen.

Over time, high blood pressure can cause damage to the retinas blood vessels, limit the retinas function and put pressure on the optic nerve, causing vision problems and potentially leading to blindness.

This condition is called hypertensive retinopathy.

Symptoms include reduced vision, eye swelling, bursting of a blood vessel or experiencing double vison accompnaied by headaches.

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High blood pressure signs : The worrying symptom in your eyes that could signal your risk - Express

A University of Miami ophthalmologist is spearheading an effort to improve pediatric vision screenings in the Caribbean Basin.

A few years ago, Dr. Alana Grajewski was having dinner with an ophthalmologist visiting the University of Miamis Bascom Palmer Eye Institute to train with her in pediatric glaucoma surgery, when he admitted a realization he had in the operating room earlier that day.

The physician from the South American coastal nation of Suriname was unsure he would even get a chance to perform the techniques Grajewski had taught him because some children show up to his office in such poor condition that it is too late to repair their vision. If left untreated, glaucoma can cause blindness in children.

Although the message was disheartening, after the doctors confession, Grajewski began researching the problem more. She learned that vision impairment and blindness is four times higher in the Caribbeanalthough in South America, Suriname culturally is considered to be a Caribbean nationthan it is in the United States, and she saw an opportunity to help.

In the Caribbean, there is very little that has been done in the way of identifying childrens eye disease early, and if you dont identify these problems, it becomes a more expensive and more damaging problem down the road, said Grajewski, who has been treating children as an ophthalmologist for 30 years and who directs the Samuel and Ethel Balkan International Pediatric Glaucoma Center at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. But if you are able to catch something and fix it, youre improving their ability to function in school and in the world.

Starting with Suriname, Grajewski is now leading an effort called the Pediatric Preventable Blindness (PPB) initiative to help eradicate vision loss in children. Currently, there is no formal vision screening in Suriname until children reach the age of 5. Yet by working with her colleagues at Bascom Palmer, other U.S. experts in the fields of ophthalmology and public health, as well as the University of Suriname, Grajewski came up with a strategy to screen childrens vision earlierby doing it when they get their vaccines. If it is implemented fully, this model would allow Suriname doctors to mitigate vision problems before they worsen, she said.

The Caribbean loves this concept, Grajewski added. When we presented our model at a recent ophthalmology conference at the University of West Indies, ophthalmologists throughout the Caribbean were thrilled.

With early detection and treatment, more children who need glasses at an early age will be able to get them, and children with more severe vision impairments like pediatric glaucoma can be referred to an ophthalmologist, said Matthew Javitt, research fellow. With surgery, pediatric glaucoma has an 80 percent to 90 percent chance of restoring a childs vision. And with the vision screening model Grajewskis team designed, it will only add four minutes to a familys vaccination appointment.

The PPB initiative began with a trip to Suriname last May when Dr. Christina Dowell, a resident at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, visited several clinics and trained health care workers in how to use vision screening equipment. For children younger than six months, an arc light is used, which is a device that can be attached to a mobile phone to take a photo of the eye and detect any abnormalities. For children older than six months, a device called a spot vision screener is used to detect any impairments. While she was there, Dowell visited clinics near the countrys capital of Paramaribo with Dr. Denise Doelwijt, a University of Suriname ophthalmologist, and trained health care workers on how to conduct vision screenings. In July, another team from Bascom Palmer visited four clinics in Suriname. At the end of this month, Doelwijt, along with Bascom Palmer researchers Dr. Eleonore Savatovsky and medical student Adriana Grossman, are planning to expand their reach to visit 17 clinics across the country.

We were looking to put a screening in as part of the existing infrastructure, which was why we chose the vaccination process where there is 95 percent participation from parents in Suriname, said Javitt, who helped develop the initiative.

As Surinames only current pediatric eye surgeon, Doelwijt is often inundated with young patients who have not even gotten an eye screening when they arrive in her office. In December, she had a six-month wait to see new patients, she reported.

This will make the wait time a little shorter because children will have already been screened elsewhere, she said.

Doelwijt is a surgeon at the Suriname Eye Centre, which is part of the academic hospital for the University of Suriname. She has gathered a team of medical students and is collaborating with Grajewski to implement the initiative at an expanding number of clinics across the nation of more than 500,000 people. Doelwijts students also will help University researchers collect data that can evaluate if the initiative is improving the diagnosis process. However, Doelwijt is confident the model will help Surinames physicians.

If this can help us operate earlier on the kids who need it, patients would get a better visual end result, she said.

Since vision develops in the brain from what a child can physically see, Doelwijt and Grajewski said that the faster vision problems are corrected, the best chance a child has to either improve his or her vision or avoid blindness. Children grow into their vision, so if they are seen later, or not evaluated properly, they can still develop poor vision even if they have a beautiful eye, Doelwijt said.

After a model is working in Suriname, Grajewski wants to implement a similar PPB program in Trinidad, Jamaica, and Barbados through the Universitys new partnership with the University of the West Indies.

In December, Bascom Palmer hosted a conference for physicians from across the hemisphere to learn about the initiative and discuss ways to implement a similar model in other countries that need a better way to conduct vision screenings. Ophthalmology experts from several universities in the region attended to learn about the initiative.

Once its in place, this effort will be self-sustainable and will be part of the policy in these countries, said Grajewski.

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Eye doctor leads the way to children's clearer vision across the Caribbean - University of Miami

Jenna Palacio, Barton Health

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. The Barton Foundation provided more than $360,000 in funding during 2019, delivering a profound community impact made possible by philanthropy and donor generosity over the year. Medical equipment, new technology, care provider education, and support, expanding access to mental and behavioral health services, and funding for local organizations were all aspects of the Barton Foundations scope of giving last year, as part of its commitment to community well-being through Barton Health.

More than one-third of the Barton Foundation investments in 2019 went to purchasing medical equipment, bringing in new technology, and offering training and education opportunities for care providers. Some of the new equipment and technology upgrades include an additional infant warmer in the Barton Family Birthing Center; a specialized camera to detect retinopathy the leading cause of blindness in the United States; ventilators to support patients with chronic respiratory conditions at home; and medical technology to allow for sharper images guiding wrist and hand orthopedic surgeries.

Bartons 2018 Community Health Needs Assessment identified mental and behavioral health as the most pressing health issue of the area. The Barton Foundation dedicated sizable funding in 2019 to community organizations working to address this issue. Additional support provided by the Foundation last year went to improving access to mental and behavioral health services, and renovating two Emergency Department rooms at the hospital for patients in crisis.

As part of the Barton Foundations vision to positively impact the health of the community by providing financial resources, funding was given to an array of local support, education and health improvement efforts. Financial aid was given to cancer patients for access to Bartons Cancer Support Services. The Foundations 2019 grant cycle awarded $50,000 to 15 local care-based organizations. Further training and medical equipment was given to community police, fire, and educators for the Stop the Bleed program, which trains first responders how to care for trauma victims.

The Barton Foundations mission is to inspire philanthropy for the health of the community. Up next in the Barton Foundations annual programming, Pink Heavenly will take over Heavenly Mountain Resorts California Base Lodge on March 21, celebrating fundraising efforts that directly benefit wellness programs through Bartons Cancer Support Services.

For more information, giving, and upcoming events with the Barton Foundation, visit bartonhealth.org/foundation.

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Barton Foundation gives over $360000 to community health improvements - South Tahoe Now

Sophie, who married Prince Edward in 1999, is set to leave the beloved members of her family behind tomorrow, her royal diary shows. According to the official royal schedule, the Countess of Wessex will visit Germany on Valentines Day, representing the Queen.

This means Sophie will have to skip Valentines Day celebrations this year.

Her husband, the Earl of Wessex, is attending an event in Harrogate today, and doesnt look set to have any engagement lined up in Germany over the next few days.

Following her day in Germany, Sophies diary is free of engagements until February 26.

This is likely due to the fact that the Countess children, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, are on their half-term break and Sophie wants to spend as much time as possible with them.

Upon returning to work, Sophie will attend a reception at St Jamess Palace for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness in her role as Global Ambassador.

The prevention of blindness is one of the main areas of interest of Sophies royal work, together with female empowerment.

READ MORE:Sophie, Countess of Wessex: How did she assert self as royal?

While Sophie and Edward dont look set to spend Valentines Day together, the couple will likely delay the celebrations and carry them out during the weekend.

Edward is the Queens youngest child and the only one out of the monarch and Prince Philips four children who didnt get a divorce.

Sophie and Prince Edward met at a tennis match in 1993 and dated for six years before tying the knot at St Georges Chapel, the same church where Meghan Markle, Princess Eugenie and Lady Gabriella Windsor got married between 2018 and 2019.

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The Wessexes nuptials were televised, and as many as 200 million viewers from all over the world tuned in to witness their love.

Ahead of his big day, Prince Edward said: We manage to have a good laugh about things most of the time, and we happen to love each other, which is the most important thing of all.

While Sophie and Edward may be spending tomorrow apart, other royals look set to show their romantic traits to their other halves.

According to royal expert Katie Nicholl, Prince William is a romantic deep down and he will likely use tomorrow as an excuse to spend more time with Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.

Ms Nicholl told OK! magazine: Kate and William are clearly very happy in their marriage and it shows.

Theyre both affectionate and these days theyre not afraid to show that in public.

Theres a very natural chemistry and warmth between them.

Originally posted here:
Sophie Wessex to spend Valentines Day APART from Prince Edward - because of the Queen - Express.co.uk

For women with advanced cases of cervical cancer, radiation therapy is generally the only curative treatment. The treatment of cervical cancer is unique, in that, brachytherapy, a form of radiation treatment where radioactive isotopes are placed within or near tumors, is a necessary component.

Dr. Michelle Ludwig, a radiation oncologist at the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine, and Dr. Alexander Hanania, fourth-year resident physician in radiation oncology at Baylor, both see patients at Harris Health Systems Attwell Radiation Therapy Center at Smith Clinic. They are researching a way to make brachytherapy more efficient and less toxic for patients with cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is a disease more common in medically underserved patients who have less access to screening and vaccination, Ludwig said. We are excited to work to bring access to personalized medicine in the form of a customizable device to the medically underserved patients in Harris County, as we have one of the highest volume centers in the country for this patient population.

Reserved solely for the most technical and challenging of cases, a procedure called interstitial brachytherapy allows doctors to deliver higher doses of radiation internally and directly to the tumor.

Interstitial brachytherapy is generally only needed for patients with large advanced tumors, or when there is another reason such as anatomical challenges or disease recurrence, Hanania said. In certain areas where we treat the uninsured population, more often than not, were seeing locally advanced disease, which often requires interstitial brachytherapy.

Historically, the procedure involves suturing a grid template to the body, then inserting a series of needles through the template holes and into the tissue involved with and surrounding the tumor. Radioactive isotopes are run through the needles to deliver the radiation and kill the tumor.

The procedure is highly effective in controlling and often curing cervical cancer that has not spread to other parts of the body, but it can also be damaging to the tissues and organs surrounding the cervix. According to Hanania, new devices on the market allow for more precise treatment but most are too expensive for most hospitals.

Last fall, Hanania visited Rice University with the hopes of finding an affordable solution. He presented the problem at an engineering design fair where students met with potential collaborators in a variety of industries. He met a group of five undergraduate students seniors Elisa Arango, Susannah Dittmar, Krithika Kumar and Sanika Rane and junior Lauren Payne all interested in addressing a global health issue.

We know that the women affected by cervical cancer have less access to healthcare, Dittmar said. These women shouldnt have to go through this painful, extensive treatment just because of their financial situation. We wanted to find a way to make the procedure better.

The group, which calls themselves Team At Your Cervix, got to work designing a new obturator that could be built with a 3D printer at Rices Oshmann Engineering Design Kitchen. After months of research and collaboration with Ludwig and Hanania, they now have a prototype called the Universally Friendly Obturator, or UFO.

Our goal was to reduce the number of transcutaneous needles, Dittmar said. The way were going to do that is by bringing them into the obturator so theyre going through the vaginal canal and not through the tissue.

The UFO is also wider than a traditional obturator and has a flexible head so the needles can better reach the cervix without disturbing the surrounding tissue.

Our goal was for it to be 3D printed so it can be an open sourced file, Payne said. Because were a global health project, it has to be low cost. The idea is that anyone in the world can access the file and print it.

In the coming months, the group will continue to develop and test new prototypes. They have designed simulations to see how the device would hold up in a real procedure

I think this device could decrease the morbidity of the implant. If its effective, it will not only shorten the amount of time that were in the operating room, it will also decrease the amount of trauma to the body, Hanania said. Every needle you put in increases the risk of trauma to other nearby parts of the body. This device would work with existing technology to make the therapy more targeted, and therefore less toxic.

The group will present their final prototype at the Rice Engineering Design Showcase at Tudor Fieldhouse on Thursday, April 16. After graduation, the team hopes another group of seniors will continue their work.

Dr. Hanania and Dr. Ludwig came to us with an actual problem that they face, said Rane, who will be attending Baylors School of Medicine in the fall. Our prototype can have an immense effect here in Houston and across the globe.

-By Molly Chiu

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Doctors team up with students to improve cervical cancer treatment - Baylor College of Medicine News

Are you in the United Kingdom and looking for a job in the life sciences? Or, are you planning on having a career in the life sciences? If so, then, youll be happy to know that there are an expected 133,000 jobs to be added to the sector over the next 10 years.

A new report called the Life Sciences 2030 Skills Strategy published in collaboration with theAssociation of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and the U.K.s Office for Life Sciences, forecasts the addition of 133,000 life science jobs by 2030. The jobs will range across the sector and include biopharma, medical devices and other areas of the industry. Specifically, the report predicts the addition of 43,000 jobs in biopharma, about 90,000 jobs in medtech and another 55,000 jobs to replace retirees across the sector.

The forecast does get a little more specific for the types of positions that will be needed in the U.K. over the next 10 years. For example, the report suggests that pharma research and development will require about 19,300 positions, while manufacturing roles in pharma will grow by about 6,400 jobs. While those are strong numbers, the report suggests that the medical device industry will see even greater growth.

The report projects 8,000 new jobs in medtech research and development and 46,500 jobs in medtech manufacturing.

For the other positions, the report suggests that by 2030, there will be an increase of 52,400 service and supply positions in the industry.

Alex Felthouse, managing director, Eisai Manufacturing and chairman of the Science Industries Partner Futures Group, a participant in the survey, said the strategy guide lays out the recommendations to take skills forward out to 2030 in support of the growing life sciences industry

To meet the demand that we have for the future we need to ensure that our industry is attractive to those who are considering joining the sector. We need to make them aware of all of the fantastic opportunities there are across a diverse and exciting range of activities from research and development through to medicines manufacturing. We also need toensure we have parity of esteem between different educational routes whether it be traditional academic routes, apprenticeships, vocational studies or ongoing continued professional development.

In order to capture some of these positions, the Life Sciences 2030 Skills Strategy outlines some of the key skills that will be needed by applicants. The skill sets include, as could be expected, proficiency in computers, as well as statistical literacy. The skills outlined are broad, but with the increasing reliance on machine learning and artificial intelligence in the pharmaceutical industry, that should provide more direction for potential applicants. The report notes that there is an accelerating convergence between life sciences, computer science, mathematics, statistics, engineering and chemistry in the fields of diagnostics, personalized medicine and data science.

There are also a number of soft skills that will be of benefit for future applicants. According to the survey, those kinds of skills will involve effective communication, leadership skills, sales and marketing abilities, as well as translational commercialization skills.

With the projected growth of jobs over the next 10 years, Nadhim Zahawim, business and industry minister for the U.K., said the government of the United Kingdoms hope is that the country will become a science superpower. By creating cutting-edge jobs in the life sciences industry, that will help the U.K. make progress in areas such as early medical diagnosis and manufacturing, Zahawim said in a statement. By providing a pathway for the growth, Zahawim said this will help level up every part of the UK with new opportunities.

In order to meet the demands, the government made several recommendations, including the implementation of an action plan from key stakeholders to oversee the growth of the industry. This action plan is aimed at encouraging and incentivizing the take-up of apprenticeships programs in all parts of the sector in order to establish parity of esteem with academic routes. Additionally, the action plan calls for supporting the transfer and exchange of a global workforce. The action plans have yet to be finalized, but when they are, the government said it will establish certain as-yet unnamed milestones and targets.

The government also points out that it will need to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs to boost the increase of potential applicants, and also create a positive landscape that will attract and retain globally mobile talent. The strategy also notes that encouraging some academic researchers to shift into industry will also be key.

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Life Sciences Jobs Expected to Grow by 133,000 Over Next 10 Years in the UK - BioSpace

AI is rocking medical diagnosis with its potential to incite drastic improvements to hospital processes. AI can process images and patient health records with more accuracy and expediency than humans are capable of, lessening physician workload, reducing misdiagnosis, and empowering clinical staff to provide more value.

While early moving hospitals are already extracting value from AI in medical diagnosis, most US hospitals are at the very early stage of the AI transformation curve - and they risk falling behind if they don't move now.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence examines the value of AI applications in three high-value areas of medical diagnosis - imaging, clinical decision support, and personalized medicine - to illustrate how the tech can drastically improve patient outcomes, lower costs, and increase productivity.

We look at US health systems that have effectively applied AI in these use cases to illustrate where and how providers should implement AI. Finally, we examine how a leading US health system validates AI partners and internally organizes its AI strategy to offer provider organizations a template for AI innovation.

The companies mentioned in this report are: Aidoc, Allscripts, Amazon, Arterys, Boston Gene, Cabell Huntington Hospital, Cerner, Cleveland Clinic, Epic, Geisinger Health System, Google, HCA Healthcare, IBM, iCAD, IDx, Intermountain Healthcare, Johns Hopkins, Meditech, Microsoft, Mount Sinai, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Oak Street Health, Stanford University, Tempus, UCI Health System, Unanimous AI, Verily, Viz.ai, and Yale New Haven Hospital.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

In full, the report:

Want to learn more about the fast-moving world of digital health? Here's how to get access:

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AI IN MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS: How top US health systems are reacting to the disruptive force of AI by revolutionizi - Business Insider India

North American Prostate Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Diagnostic Technique (Prostate-Specific Antigen Test, Digital Rectal Examination, Prostate Biopsy, Imaging Techniques) by Therapeutics (Hormonal Therapy, Chemotherapy, Immunotherapy, Radiation Therapy, Targeted Therapy, Surgery) and Forecast 2019-2025

North American prostate cancer diagnostics and therapeutics market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.4% during the forecast period. The major factors for the growth of the market include the high prevalence of prostate cancer in the region which raises the demand for efficient diagnostics and therapies for the treatment of cancer.

As per World Health Organization, in the North America, prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer among men. Around 234,000 new cases of prostate cancer has been registered in 2018 in the region.

Additionally, in 2018, around 18.5% of the total cases of cancer are related to prostate cancer in the US. Moreover, the adoption of innovative technologies for the diagnosis of prostate cancer such as biomarkers and the adoption of personalized medicine for treatment is expected to fuel the market.

Report: http://www.omrglobal.com/requesttic-market

North American prostate cancer diagnostic market is divided on the basis of diagnostic technique and therapeutics. By diagnostic technique, the market is segmented into prostate-specific antigen test, digital rectal examination, prostate biopsy, imaging techniques.

Prostate biopsy is expected to hold a major market share during the forecast period. By therapeutics, the market is segmented into hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, surgery.

During the forecast period, chemotherapy is expected to have a major market share in the region. Geographically, the market is divided into the US and Canada.

The US is expected to hold the major major market share during the forecast period.

Report: http://www.omrglobal.com/industrtic-market

North American Prostate Cancer Market Segmentation

By Diagnostic Techniques

By Therapeutics

Regional Analysis

Company Profiles

Report: http://www.omrglobal.com/report-tic-market

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North American Prostate Cancer Market scrutinized in the new analysis - WhaTech Technology and Markets News

Researchers have developed a new CRISPR technique, using a minigene, which was inserted into mouse DNA, resulting in improved liver disease symptoms.

In a proof-of-concept study, researchers have successfully used a new CRISPR gene-editing technique in mice to prevent a genetic liver disease known to be driven by hundreds of different mutations and improve clinical symptoms.

According to the scientists, from Penn Medicine, US, the findings suggest a promising CRISPR tool that could potentially treat patients with a rare metabolic urea-cycle disorder caused by a deficiency in the enzyme ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC), as well as other hereditary diseases triggered by different mutations on the same gene.

The CRISPR approach was developed from a previous one created at Penn Medicine which was limited to correcting only one mutation and benefitted new-born mice but not adults. This time, the technique, which employs a novel, dual adeno-associated virus (AAV) to deliver its components, inserted a minigene into the genome to accomplish a sustained expression of OTC in liver cells. No mutations are corrected; instead, a new set of instructions are added to the cells. As a result, researchers observed a clinical benefit in new-born mice that was maintained in adulthood.

Like most genetic diseases that present lethal effects in new-borns, early treatments that are effective for the long term are essential, said Dr James Wilson, a professor of Medicine, and director of the Gene Therapy Program and the Orphan Disease Center at Penn. Here, we moved a CRISPR approach forward to not only sustain expression of OTC in the cells but also broaden the tools abilities.

To develop a broadly applicable genome-editing tool, the team constructed a new, dual AAV vector containing an RNA-guided bacteria protein called Cas9. Known as AAV8, this Penn-developed vector specifically has an affinity for liver cells. The second AAV contained a fully functioning minigene expressing a codon-optimised human OTC, the donor DNA, driven by a liver-specific promoter to ensure it only expresses in liver cells when injected into the blood.

The first step the researchers took was to create a break in the DNA by Cas9 at the targeting site along the gene, which enables the addition of the minigene for homology directed repair (HDR).

Unlike other CRISPR approaches that delete or modify a portion of the normal gene, this technique integrates a new portion, said first author Dr Lili Wang, a research associate professor of Medicine. Were not trying to correct mutations that stop liver cells from producing OTC, were adding this new minigene so the cells can.

we moved a CRISPR approach forward to not only sustain expression of OTC in the cells but also broaden the tools abilities

Mice treated with the targeted vector showed 25 and 35 percent of OTC-expressing cells in the liver at three and eight weeks, respectively. This is four- and three-fold higher than the mice treated with the untargeted vector. At both three and eight weeks, most OTC-positive liver cells were located in clusters scattered throughout all portions of the liver in the targeted mice.

Researchers also observed a 60 percent reduction in ammonia levels in targeted mice compared to untreated mice fed on a high protein diet, a clinical sign that suggests the liver cells are producing OTC.

With these successful animal studies, weve moved closer to a potential broad spectrum gene-editing approach to treat patients with the OTC deficiency, irrespective of mutation and clinical state, Wilson said. The next step, through additional pre-clinical studies, is to find a safe harbour site on the gene in human liver cells and then to test a similar gene-editing approach.

The results were published in Science Advances.

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CRISPR 'minigene' used to prevent genetic liver disease in mice - Drug Target Review

An emergency room physician, initially unable to diagnose a disoriented patient, finds on the patient a wallet-sized card providing access to his genome, or all his DNA. The physician quickly searches the genome, diagnoses the problem and sends the patient off for a gene-therapy cure. Thats what a Pulitzer prize-winningjournalist imagined2020 would look like when she reported on the Human Genome Project back in 1996.

The Human Genome Project was an international scientific collaboration that successfully mapped, sequenced and made publicly available the genetic content of human chromosomes or all human DNA. Taking place between 1990 and 2003, the project caused many to speculate about the future of medicine. In 1996, Walter Gilbert, a Nobel laureate,said, The results of the Human Genome Project will produce a tremendous shift in the way we can do medicine and attack problems of human disease. In 2000, Francis Collins, then head of the HGP at the National Institutes of Health,predicted, Perhaps in another 15 or 20 years, you will see a complete transformation in therapeutic medicine. The same year, President Bill Clintonstatedthe Human Genome Project would revolutionize the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of most, if not all, human diseases.

It is now 2020 and no one carries a genome card. Physicians typically do not examine your DNA to diagnose or treat you. Why not? As I explain in a recentarticle in the Journal of Neurogenetics, the causes of common debilitating diseases are complex, so they typically are not amenable to simple genetic treatments, despite the hope and hype to the contrary.

The idea that a single gene can cause common diseases has been around for several decades. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, high-profile scientific journals, including Nature and JAMA, announced single-gene causation ofbipolar disorder,schizophreniaandalcoholism, among other conditions and behaviors. These articles drewmassive attentionin thepopular media, but weresoonretractedorfailedattemptsatreplication. These reevaluations completely undermined the initial conclusions, which often had relied onmisguided statistical tests. Biologists were generally aware of these developments, though the follow-up studies received little attention in popular media.

There are indeed individual gene mutations that cause devastating disorders, such asHuntingtons disease. But most common debilitating diseases are not caused by a mutation of a single gene. This is because people who have a debilitating genetic disease, on average, do not survive long enough to have numerous healthy children. In other words, there is strong evolutionary pressure against such mutations. Huntingtons disease is an exception that endures because it typically does not produce symptoms until a patient is beyond their reproductive years. Although new mutations for many other disabling conditions occur by chance, they dont become frequent in the population.

Instead, most common debilitating diseases are caused by combinations of mutations in many genes, each having a very small effect. They interact with one another and with environmental factors, modifying the production of proteins from genes. The many kinds of microbes that live within the human body can play a role, too.

A silver bullet genetic fix is still elusive for most diseases. (Credit: drpnncpptak/Shutterstock)

Since common serious diseases are rarely caused by single-gene mutations, they cannot be cured by replacing the mutated gene with a normal copy, the premise for gene therapy.Gene therapyhas gradually progressed in research along a very bumpy path, which has included accidentally causingleukemiaandat least one death, but doctors recently have been successful treatingsome rare diseasesin which a single-gene mutation has had a large effect. Gene therapy for rare single-gene disorders is likely to succeed, but must be tailored to each individual condition. The enormous cost and the relatively small number of patients who can be helped by such a treatment may create insurmountable financial barriers in these cases. For many diseases, gene therapy may never be useful.

The Human Genome Project has had an enormous impact on almost every field of biological research, by spurring technical advances that facilitate fast, precise and relatively inexpensive sequencing and manipulation of DNA. But these advances in research methods have not led to dramatic improvements in treatment of common debilitating diseases.

Although you cannot bring your genome card to your next doctors appointment, perhaps you can bring a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between genes and disease. A more accurate understanding of disease causation may insulate patients against unrealistic stories and false promises.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author.

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We've Sequenced the Human Genome. So Why Haven't We Cured More Diseases? - Discover Magazine