BREAKTHROUGH IN RESEARCH ON RECESSIVE GENE DISORDERS

Vancouver - August, 1992: A group of scientists led by Dr. Jamey Marth of the Biomedical Research Centre at the University of British Columbia has made a major scientific breakthrough which allows researchers to develop accurate models for recessive gene disorders.

Recessive gene disorders are caused by the lack of a needed gene. The new technique emulates this condition and permits research to be carried out on targeted parts of the body that are specifically affected by the disease.

"Using this new technology, scientists can now remove genes from specific body tissues and, in so doing, create an accurate understanding of the resulting disease process", explained Dr. Marth.

These disorders are the cause of cystic fibrosis, retinoblastoma, and other genetically-transmitted diseases, including cancer, which affect millions of North Americans annually.

Dr. Lap-Chee Tsui of Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children commented "I believe this technology will receive wide attention in the field of gene therapy". Noting, however, that at present the technique is limited to laboratory studies, Dr. Tsui added, "It is hoped that one day the same technology will be applicable to curing some human diseases". Dr. Tsui is the scientist who discovered the cystic fibrosis gene.

According to Dr. Marth, this advance will transform the approach to studying and understanding how genes function and initiate disease.

Dr. Marth credits funding support from the Canadian Genetic Diseases Network through the federal Networks of Centres of Excellence Program, together with the state-of-the-art research facilities at the Biomedical Research Centre as major contributors to the breakthrough. His program has also benefitted from assistance provided by the British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology.