CRISPR DNA changes for adults

[grumpygrampa]

I've been reading up on CRISPR lately and it got me wondering, most of what you hear is about editing embryos or treating genetic issues early on, but what about adults? Imagine finding out later in life that you've got a condition written into your DNA, could CRISPR actually be used to change your genes after the fact? It feels like science fiction, but with how fast everything is moving, i cant help but think... could CRISPR really change adults?

 

[Blub]

I've wondered that too, I remember reading about CRISPR trials in adults for blood disorders like sickle cell, where they edited stem cells and reintroduced them. Do you think broader adult gene editing will ever become practical?

 

[Caitlyn P]

There are already clinical trials using CRISPR in adults for things like sickle cell and certain cancers. The catch is that editing in adults is usually limited to specific cells, not every cell in your body. So it can treat a condition, but it's not rewriting your whole DNA blueprint