Technique for Studying Human Genes Improves Disease Research

Researchers have developed a new technique for manipulating genes in human cells obtained from stem cells, according to a new report in Cell Stem Cell. Scientists commonly insert or delete genes in mice in an attempt to determine what role a given gene plays in a disease. However, translation of experimental results from mice to humans has serious limitations. Using this new technique, researchers will be able to study human genes in almost any human cell type, enhancing the likelihood of obtaining information relevant to human diseases.