Say hello to Pradeep Reddy!
This dude from Hyderabad went abroad and helped make a huge difference in the world. No, he’s not your ordinary guy next door. He’s part of the team who helped in developing a technique that could help women prevent their children from inheriting severe illnesses including those of heart and brain.
Yes, that’s a big deal. Like a really big deal!
Time for a Science Class!
Take your seats! This is going to be a fun ride!
What is Gene Editing you ask?
Editing the DNA of a cell’s nucleus such that it cuts out the faulty characteristics resulting in an evolved and healthy organism.
Source: Society For Science
Now let’s begin the fun part.
So there’s one thing that we learnt in school that literally no one ever forgets. Repeat after me.
“Mitochondria is the power house of the cell”
Source: New Indian Express
If you remembered that then well... Pat yourself on the back.
Now apparently the DNA in the mitochondria of the cell only consists of a mother’s DNA unlike the nucleus of the cell which has both the parents’.
Source: CP Cache
And when a mitochondria is faulty or mutated it leads to numerous disorders mostly related to control organs like brain and heart.
And these disorders do not have a treatment.
Source: Ning
Time for good news!!!
Pradeep Reddy of Hyderabad who’s researching in Salk Institute of Biological Studies in California along with his team has found a way around this.
Source: Vidya's amazing photo-editing skills
So by cutting out the faulty mitochondrial DNA of the egg the possibility of inheriting severe illnesses can be eliminated.
Your mitochondria becomes as awesome as it’s meant to be.
Source: Deviantart
Now this technique was tested to be successful in mice and is now waiting for approval from the Government to test on human eggs.
Source: Photoshelter
All light-heartedness apart, Pradeep Reddy and his team are a stone’s throw away from beginning to successfully defeat mitochondrial diseases which have till date not seen an effective treatment or a prevention.
It is indeed a proud moment for all of us.





