Re: [DIYbio] Re: Genetic engineering at home

Saw Mega's post after I made my post.   Basically, it's too late for central tolerance because you already have T-cells likely to react with GFP...transfecting thymus/spleen won't help.  You can try to create peripheral tolerance, say by injecting immunosuppressive cytokines, but even the professionals don't have a good handle on it.  You're pretty much playing russian roulette.

Gene therapy DOES have potential applications beyond miRNA.  Increase expression by adding extra copies of a gene, cut it out entirely with CRISPRs, or put in a new variant of a protein that's similar enough to existing proteins not to create a response.

However, viral self-engineering is really not where DIYbio should be focusing...it's difficult and dangerous, questionably legal, possibly unethical.  I think DIYers can contribute by taking part in the public debate, and helping to develop tools for self-diagnosing whether gene therapy could help a person.  But if you actually want to do gene therapy with viruses...think about entering academia or biotech!