While fictional stories abound about genetic research turning people into mutants or creating super-viruses, the truth of the matter is genetic engineering saved one baby's life.
Layla was only 14 weeks old when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Though the doctor's tried every conventional treatment, ranging from bone-marrow transplants to chemotherapy, nothing was working. "Shortly after Layla's first birthday, her parents were told nothing more could be done but to give their daughter palliative carem which is a fancy term for, 'Keep your family member as comfortable as possible in their final days.'" But Layla's family refused to give up, and asked the doctors to keep trying to find a way to save their daughter, even if it was something that had never been done before.
And lo and behold, Professor Waseem Qasim of the University College London heard of the little one's plight. Qasim and his team had been working on a genetically modified version of the T cell, which have been "modified to have an extra gene and two broken ones. The extra gene encodes a receptor called CAR19, which allows the T cell to recognize and kill cancer cells." The broken genes prevent the T cells from attacking healthy cells and from being killed by anti-leukemia drugs.
And the medical breakthrough worked. "Around two months later and cancer free, Layla came back to GOSH for a second BMT to replace her bone marrow which had also been affected by the treatment. Her blood cell numbers increased from that point and one month after the transplant, she was well enough to go home."
So for all those who are completely against genetic research/engineering, remember this: a child lives because of it, and what right do you have to deny her and thousands of other people with curable illnesses the chance to live?
Read the original press release from the hospital Layla received treatment at here.
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