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BIO015 - Intro To Genes Unit 5: Gene Therapy - OPEN University

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Open University

SK195_5
4 Hours 

Level
Introductory

Course Home (Click Here)

Course Description

Following on from the advances made in diagnosing disorders using genetic testing, this unit looks at the possibilities for genetic therapies. Two approaches to gene therapy are discussed: correcting genes involved in causing illness; and using genes to treat disorders. Before closing on a discussion of the issues around 'designer babies' somatic gene therapy and germline gene therapy are discussed.

Learning Outcomes

After studying this unit you should understand:

  • some of the types of disease that might be treatable by gene therapy;
  • the basic principals of genetic manipulation;
  • the differences between somatic and germline gene therapy and some of the problems involved in these potential treatments;
  • how genetics may be used in the design of drugs.

 

Introduction

  • Introduction Resource
  • Following on from the advances made in diagnosing disorders using genetic testing, this unit looks at the possibilities for genetic therapies. Two approaches to gene therapy are discussed: correcting genes...

 

Gene therapy

  • 1 Genetic medicine: dreams and realities Resource
  • Genetics can be used in medicine to confirm a previous or make a fresh diagnosis, or predict a disorder likely to occur in future. At the moment, that is often all that can be done. The so-called ‘diagnostic...
  • 2 Gene therapy Resource
  • Gene therapy is often reported to be one of the most hopeful lines of experimentation to grow up alongside the Human Genome Project. If we know so much about all these genes, surely we can use this knowledge...
  • 3 Somatic gene therapy Resource
  • There is a distinction between somatic cells, those making up almost all of the body, and germline cells, which are the eggs and sperm and the cells that produce them. Somatic gene therapy is the transfer...
  • 4 Germline gene therapy Resource
  • Now that in vitro fertilization – bringing eggs and sperm together outside the prospective mother's body – is an established technology, the possibility exists that genes could be altered in eggs or sperm,...
  • 5 Designer babies? Resource
  • A character under genetic influence where the distinction between treatment and enhancement is hard to draw is height. Treatment of short stature – with human growth hormone made in genetically manipulated...

 

References and Acknowledgements

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Copyright 2007, by the Contributing Authors. Cite/attribute Resource. administrator. (2010, January 28). Intro To Genes Unit 5: Gene Therapy - OPEN University. Retrieved September 04, 2010, from Free University Courses OCW Courses OpenCourseWare Freeversity Foundation Web site: http://www.freeversity.org/science-and-mathematics/biology/hm125-gene-therapy-open-university. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License Creative Commons License