New gene therapy study findings recently were published by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Scientists discuss in 'Gene therapy from the perspective of systems biology' new findings in gene therapy. "Gene therapy research has expanded from its original concept of replacing absent or defective DNA with functional DNA to include the manipulation (increase or decrease) of gene expression by the delivery of modified genes, siRNA or other genetic material via multiple vectors, including naked plasmid DNA, viruses and even cells. Specific tissues or cell types are targeted in order to decrease the risks of systemic or side effects," scientists writing in the journal Current Opinion In Molecular Therapeutics report (see also Gene Therapy).

"As with the development of any …