A CRISPR Approach for a Common Inherited Disease: Researchers at Duke University Hope Gene Editing Can Eliminate Mutations That Lead to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Gene editing and CRISPR (a group of repeated DNA sequences in bacteria) typically target disease-causing mutated genes by eliminating the bad gene altogether, by correcting the problem DNA to restore proper gene functioning, or by modifying a different gene to compensate for the faulty gene's lost function. One research group at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, however, is using a different strategy to fight one of the most common inherited genetic diseases: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).