Accessibility links
CRISPR Gene-Editing Tool Gives Hope To First Sickle Cell Patient : Short Wave Victoria Gray has sickle cell disease, a painful and debilitating genetic condition that affects millions of people around the world. But an experimental gene-editing technique known as CRISPR could help her — and, if it does, change the way many genetic diseases are treated. Correspondent Rob Stein tells her story, an NPR-exclusive, and explains the science behind her treatment. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.

Short Wave

A Revolutionary Experiment To Edit Human Genes

A Revolutionary Experiment To Edit Human Genes

Listen · 12:32
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/775332170/775838096" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Enlarge this image

Victoria Gray, 34, of Forest, Miss., volunteered for one of the most anticipated medical experiments in decades: the first attempt to use the gene-editing technique CRISPR to treat a genetic disorder in the U.S. Meredith Rizzo/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Meredith Rizzo/NPR

Victoria Gray, 34, of Forest, Miss., volunteered for one of the most anticipated medical experiments in decades: the first attempt to use the gene-editing technique CRISPR to treat a genetic disorder in the U.S.

Meredith Rizzo/NPR

Victoria Gray has sickle cell disease, a painful and debilitating genetic condition that affects millions of people around the world. But an experimental gene-editing technique known as CRISPR could help her — and, if it does, change the way many genetic diseases are treated. Correspondent Rob Stein tells her story, an NPR-exclusive. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.

Follow more of Rob Stein's coverage on the CRISPR revolution.

This episode was produced by Brent Baughman and Maddie Sofia and edited by Viet Le.