Rejuvenating Primate Vision with Gene Therapy

Scientists have made a remarkable breakthrough in the field of gene therapy. In a recent study, researchers were able to restore vision loss in primates using gene therapy. The research team was led by Dr. Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and published their findings in Nature Communications journal.

The treatment involved injecting viruses carrying healthy copies of genes into the eyes of rhesus macaques with degenerative eye diseases similar to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) found in humans. After just one injection, scientists observed improved retinal function that lasted up to six months after treatment ended – an impressive result given that AMD is typically irreversible once it has progressed beyond its early stages.

This groundbreaking discovery could be used as a basis for developing treatments for human patients suffering from AMD or other forms of inherited blindness caused by genetic mutations, such as Leber’s congenital amaurosis (LCA). While more research will need to be done before this technology can be applied safely and effectively on humans, this promising development gives hope that one day people affected by these conditions may regain their sight through gene therapies like those tested on primates today!