Process using stem cells corrects mutation in mice
Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have laid the foundation for what may be a revolutionary treatment for sickle cell disease, according to a paper published Thursday in the journal Science.
The research was made possible by a recent breakthrough discovery in which scientists learned how to create stem cells from skin cells, said Tim Townes, a co-lead investigator for the study and chair of the UAB Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics.
"This is very important," Townes said.
Scientists are excited about the new research because it is perhaps the first application of the recent breakthrough in stem cells, and it may lead to a method for treating sickle cell disease that would be effective, safe and widely available to patients, Townes said.
"We've actually cured sickle cell disease in our mouse model," Townes said. "It's amazing. It
really worked."
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