March 28, 2024

Further reprogramming progress

Yamanaka gets rid of cancer gene


In a matter of weeks, the Japanese researcher who discovered how to reprogram
cells, Shinya Yamanaka, has published yet another paper about them which allays
some fears about cancer. He managed to achieve the reprogramming with only three
genes, leaving out the c-Myc gene which he knew would almost certainly cause
cancer. Scientists are working on methods which will trigger reprogramming
without the need to insert the genes with the help of viruses, as this raises
the likelihood of cancer developing. ~ Nature Biotechnology, Nov 30; London
Telegraph, Nov 30