Bielefeld students revolutionize gene therapy against cystic fibrosis!

Bielefeld students revolutionize gene therapy against cystic fibrosis!

An innovative student research team from the University of Bielefeld deals with the genetic disease of cystic fibrosis and presents its groundbreaking results as part of the IGEM competition, one of the greatest international competitions in synthetic biology. From October 23 to 26, 2024, the 13 students in Paris will compete against over 450 other teams to present their progress in improving gen therapy, which should specifically combat the most common mutation of the CFTR ion channel.

The "PrecyS" team follows an innovative approach with "Prime Editing", a method that enables precise gene changes. This gene therapy is injected directly into the lungs to treat the airways. The promising treatment not only represents a relief of the symptoms, but could also directly tackle the cause of the disease. In addition, the committed team has had discussions with those affected and experts to gain practical insights and is also planning a meeting for European Igem teams in Bielefeld to promote exchange. Further information is on current.uni-bielefeld.de find.