Genetic engineering Genetic engineering

• Gene therapy

2024

In Russia, rheumatoid arthritis began to be treated with a unique genetic engineering technology

On October 16, 2024, at the E. M. Tareev Clinic of Rheumatology, Nephrology and Occupational Pathology of Sechenov University, the use of unique domestic genetic engineering technology for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis began. The new method is based on the use of monoclonal antibodies developed by Russian pharmaceutical companies. Read more here.

Genetic engineering: In China, hearing was returned to deaf children from birth

In mid-June 2024, there were presentations of the results of a Shanghai clinical study of a new gene therapy for AAV1-hOTOF that allows hearing to be returned to children with a congenital form of hereditary deafness caused by mutations in the OTOF gene. During the study, it was possible to restore hearing in all five children who were treated. The study will continue to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of the therapy. Read more here.

Putin signed a decree on the creation of the National Center for Genetic Resources of Agricultural Animals

The President Russia Vladimir Putin signed a decree establishing the National Center for Genetic Resources of Farm Animals. The corresponding document was published on March 19, 2024. More. here

Genetically modified cows started giving milk for diabetics

On March 13, 2024, American experts from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign reported that they had managed to breed genetically modified cows capable of producing milk for diabetics. It is expected that this achievement in the future will help solve the problem of insulin deficiency on a global scale.

People with type 1 diabetes cannot survive without insulin. In patients with type 2 diabetes, the need for insulin to control sugar levels and prevent complications can occur as the disease progresses and the effectiveness of oral drugs decreases. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that globally, only about half of patients with diabetes receive the required amount of insulin: for many of them, this drug is not available due to its high cost.

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As part of the new study, American experts, together with Brazilian colleagues from the University of São Paulo, inserted a segment of human DNA encoding proinsulin, a precursor protein to the active form of insulin, into the cell nuclei of 10 cow embryos. They were then implanted in the uterus of ordinary cows. The genetic modification targeted expression only in animal udders.

The goal of the project was to produce proinsulin and then purify it to insulin. But it turned out that the milk of genetically modified cows contains not only human proinsulin, but also insulin itself. It is estimated that such animals are capable of producing up to 1 gram of insulin per 1 liter of milk. One international unit of insulin is the biological equivalent of 0.0347 mg pure crystalline insulin. Thus, each gram is equivalent to 28,818 units of insulin. In other words, a herd of 100 heads is able to meet the insulin needs of all diabetics in the United States.^[1]

2022: Putin extends genetic technology development program until 2030

At the end of March 2022, the president Russia Vladimir Putin signed a decree extending the Federal Scientific and Technical Program for the Development of Genetic Technologies until 2030. Initially, it was designed until 2027, it was planned to spend 127 billion for the implementation of the project, rubles including 115 billion rubles of budget funds. More than 100 scientific organizations and universities participate in its implementation. More. here

2021

A genomic sequencing center is being created in Russia

On November 17, 2021, the president Russia Vladimir Putin announced its creation Genetic Information Center at the base. All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources named after Vavilov More. here

Fujifilm to invest $850 million in gene therapy

At the end of June 2021, it became known that it would Fujifilm invest $850 million in gene therapy development of its CDMO division. Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies The company will split the funds provided between its plants in and. Great Britain USA The planned costs "are mainly aimed at significantly increasing the capacity to produce biopharmaceuticals, such as COVID-19 vaccines advanced therapies," the company spokeswoman said. More. here

The first-ever return of vision to humans through genetic engineering

At the end of May 2021, for the first time in history, a person was returned to vision using genetic engineering. The researchers reported that their technique allows restoring the function of retinal neurons in neurological diseases, regardless of the presence of mutations.

The study involved a 58-year-old patient with retinitis pigmentosa, a neurodegenerative eye disease who went blind at 18. Geneticists suggested that he alter the cells so that they could again produce the photosensitive protein ChrimsonR, which provides the function of photoreceptors.

For the first time in history, a person was returned to vision using genetic engineering

The patient received intraocular injection of adeno-associated viral vector encoding ChrimsonR and then light stimulation through special protective glasses. These glasses projected visual images of the outside world as light pulses of a certain range onto the retina to activate optogenetically transformed ganglion cells. As a result, after seven months, the patient's vision was restored so much that with the help of glasses he was able to find various objects, recognize and even count them. However, the researchers warned that even in special glasses, the patient will not be able to read or recognize faces, this requires a very high resolution, which cannot yet be achieved using such technologies.

According to the authors of the therapy, the patient's brain "learned a new language" and began to compare atypical new signals received from the retina with a picture of the outside world. Multichannel electroencephalography revealed visual cortical activity during trials. This is the first reported case of partial functional restoration of vision lost due to neurodegenerative disease, after optogenetic therapy. The authors of the study suggest that their technique could be successfully used to treat the entire spectrum of such disorders.^[2]

2019: Court sentences He Jinkui to three years in prison for creating world's first genetically modified children

At the end of December 2019, a Chinese court sentenced He Jinkui to three years in prison for creating the world's first genetically modified children. Read more here.

2018: Birth of the world's first genetically modified children

At the end of November 2018, Chinese scientist He Jiankui announced the birth of the world's first genetically modified children. In this regard, the Chinese government instructed the authorities of Guangdong province to conduct an "immediate investigation." Read more here.

Genetic Data Banks

• Genetic data banks (biobanks, biorepositories, storing biological samples)
• National Genetic Information Base

Gene therapeutics

Main article: Gene therapy drugs

Bioinformatics

Main article: BioIT - Bioinformatics (main trends)

Genomics and Bioinformatics (Market Russia)

Main article: Genomics and bioinformatics in Russia

Biohacking

Main article: Biohacking

Genetic Seed Engineering - Agrobiotechnologies

Agrobiotechnology uses new highly productive externally resistant plant varieties and animal breeds. The increase in productivity is provided by the use of modern high-tech fertilizers, feed additives and plant protection products. The growth of the company's financial results is achieved by increasing the yield (20-30%), improving the quality characteristics of products (20-40%), reducing the cost of agricultural production (30-40%).

Selection and genetic centers

Many domestic agricultural holdings have long depended (and continue to depend) on foreign genetic material, paying multi-million currency royalty to suppliers. The accumulated expertise, modern mathematical devices and automation systems allow you to independently develop tools for the relevant assessment of the breeding potential of animals, predicting their productivity in the next generation and assessing the accuracy of the forecast made.

Genetic engineering is one of the most innovative areas of agriculture, says Anatoly Tikhonov, Head of the Center for International Agribusiness and Food Security of the RANEPA. But in Russia, organisms whose genotype has been changed using genetic engineering methods are prohibited at the legislative level. It is possible to investigate, and Russian scientists are doing this, says Roman Kulikov, head of the Biotechnology in Agriculture and Industry section of the Skolkovo biomedical technology cluster. According to him, despite the ban on use, genetically modified seeds are still imported to Russia - it is almost impossible to track them^[3]

The technology is used to make plants resistant to diseases, for example, blight, explains Orlova from Prombiotech. According to her, tomatoes, cabbage or other plants become even more environmentally friendly than ordinary products, the diseases of which have to be eliminated by chemistry.

In recent years, hybrids of sunflowers and corn have been created in Russia using modern breeding methods. However, most seeds are still imported. According to Kulikov, one of the leaders of the Russian market in this direction is the Agroplasma company. It does not just cross plants: the selection is more subtle, at the level of DNA and molecules, when the selection takes place in a faster mode - instead of ten years it takes five to six.

Why it matters

All animals and plants that are used today in agriculture were originally wild. Man selected the breeds and varieties necessary for life according to certain signs: the advantage was cattle, which gave more milk and meat, and the most resistant to unfavorable climatic conditions of the plant. A side effect of such selection is the accumulation of harmful mutations - in isolated groups with a small number of individuals, DNA changes that reduce the fitness of the body accumulate faster, since there is no influx of "good" genes from individuals from the outside. This process inevitably leads to a narrowing of genetic diversity - up to the loss of valuable features and properties.

Due to the peculiarities of the organization of the genome, during selection on a specific basis, not only the gene controlling it is selected, but also a large section of the genome, which may contain harmful signs affecting fitness. In order to create new varieties and produce new breeds improved in certain characteristics, it is necessary to be able to identify harmful mutations, and then, using modern special methods, assess the value of genotypes for selection adjusted for these mutations.

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