POSSIBLE BREAKTHROUGH

CRISPR Gene-Editing Tool Used to Eliminate HIV From Mice

Scientists were able to eliminate HIV from one-third of the infected mice used in their study.

There is no known remedy for HIV, only medications that can suppress it, but new research is bringing scientists one step closer to finding an actual cure. Using CRISPR, the controversial gene-editing tool, along with a regimen of anti-HIV drugs, scientists were able to eliminate HIV from one-third of the infected mice used in their study. The CRISPR approach cleared the virus without damaging any cells. This may be one of the first times HIV has been eliminated from the genomes of living animals. The next step for the researchers is testing their theories on larger animals, and eventually clinical trials for humans. But first, they have to figure out why two-thirds of the mice did not respond.