Genetic engineering of viruses and of virus vectors: A preface, June 9, 1996 at the National Academy of Sciences in Irvine, CA
for the past two decades, molecular and genetic tools became available to construct novel viruses that never existed before and, in most instances, lack the evolutionary advantages that would permit them to survive in nature.
These considerations serve as the foundation of the idea that it should be possible to construct highly modified, attenuated, viruses that target specific cells and to introduce into the targeted cells desired functions deliberately incorporated into the viral genomes. These functions include the potential to selectively destroy cancer cells by “hit-and-run” viruses that in this instance would be eliminated by the immune system once their task is done, or to establish lifelong latency concomitant with the expression of a cellular gene necessary for the survival of the infected cell. As the accompanying reports indicate, the development of magic bullets is far along, but we are not there yet.
A decade ago, reports on genetic engineering of viruses would have focused on the
development of better vaccines to prevent infections by our natural enemies—the viruses and microorganisms that prey on us. It is a reflection of the development of
virology over the last decade that we are beginning to think of our ancient foes as our friends. https://www.nap.edu/read/5708/chapter/2
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11-17-2015
Gang Bao:
https://www.statnews.com/2015/11/17/gene-editing-embryo-crispr/
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