A recent study conducted by U.S. scientists and published in the New England Journal of Medicine unveiled a revolutionary breakthrough. With the aid of HIV, they have been able to formulate a gene therapy, which has shown promise in curing eight infants of “bubble boy” disease.
The procedure involved mutating the HIV virus so it couldn’t cause disease, then transforming it into a delivery vehicle to transport the missing gene in infants suffering from bubble boy disease. The disease, also known as Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Syndrome (SCID) is caused by a genetic flaw that prevents the bone marrow from creating effective versions of blood cells that form an immune system.
Understanding Bubble Boy Disease
An immune system aids the body in combating infections and diseases and is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs. One in every two hundred thousand newborns, predominantly males, are affected by SCID. Without treatment, it often results in death within the first few years of life. The term ‘bubble boy disease’, originated from a well-known case in the 1970s. A Texas boy, who was a victim of SCID, lived for 12 years in a protective plastic bubble to prevent contracting germs.
Currently, a bone marrow transplant from a genetically matched sibling is the standard cure for SCID, but many patients lack a suitable donor. Given their riskiness, transplants often lead to complications; the Texas boy is an example, who tragically lost his life after the procedure. Doctors believe gene therapy could present a viable solution.
The Gene Therapy Procedure
The therapy involves retrieval of a portion of the patient’s blood cells, using the modified HIV to insert the necessary gene, then reinstating the cells back into the body.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bubble Boy Disease | 1 in 2,00,000 newborns are affected, predominantly males |
| Standard Treatment | Bone Marrow Transplant |
| Gene Therapy | Use of modified HIV to insert missing gene |
Indian Scientists Receive Top U.K. Honour
Yusuf Hamied, a scientist and businessman, alongside several other Indian-origin experts were honoured in the 2019 list of new fellows of the U.K.’s Royal Society. The Royal Society is an independent scientific academy of the U.K. and the Commonwealth, aimed at promoting excellence in science and is regarded as the world’s oldest scientific academy.
Apart from Hamied, who is the Chairman of Cipla and a Padma Bhushan awardee known for his efforts to produce low-cost drugs, other Indian-origin scientists elected as fellows were microbiologist Gurdyal Besra, mathematicians Manjul Bhargava and Akshay Venkatesh, and health experts Gagandeep Kang and Anant Parekh.
The Bloomberg Misery Index
The South American nation, Venezuela, topped the rankings of Bloomberg’s Misery Index, calculated as the sum of a country’s inflation and unemployment rates. The index, using common economic principles, concludes that lower inflation and unemployment rates generally reflect the contentment of an economy’s residents. Based on the median estimate of economists’ forecasts for each country’s rates in 2019, 62 countries were included in the index. Thailand attained the title of the “least miserable” economy.
Nepal Launches its First Satellite
Nepal has successfully launched its first satellite into space from Virginia, United States. This was a collaborative effort achieved with the aid of Nepalese scientists and the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST). Named NepaliSat-1, the satellite was developed under the BIRDS project of the Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan.
Geographical Indication Tags
14 products have received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the government so far in 2019, according to the data from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
Vasanthotsavam Festival
The annual ‘Vasantotsavam’ festival is being held at the temple of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh. It is believed this festival started in the 1460s by King Achyutaraya to mark the arrival of the Spring Season.
Dastangoi Storytelling Tradition
Dastangoi is an oral Urdu storytelling tradition which originated in Persia and travelled to Delhi and other parts of India with the spread of Islam. After a period of decline, it was revived in 2005.
Fossil Discovery: Simbakubwa Kutokaafrika
Researchers have unearthed the fossils of a massive carnivore that lived in Kenya 22 million years ago. Named as Simbakubwa kutokaafrika, the enormous creature weighed about a tonne and was eight feet long. Notably, Simbakubwa is neither a bear nor a member of the big cat family. Instead, the colossal mammal belonged to the now-extinct Hyaenodon species of carnivores.