A Revolutionary Experiment To Edit Human Genes

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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

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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.