Kitana Lepardo / Chemistry & Biochemistry / Faculty Mentor: (N/A)
Sickle cell anemia is a rare blood disorder that is generally passed down from genetics. Sickle cell anemia a severe type of anemia that have additional difficult features compared to various other types of anemias. The erythrocytes, like in all anemic disorders, are misshapen and are unable to carry oxygen throughout the body. The cause of its irregular shape and inability to carry oxygen is due to the hemoglobin that is encoded in the genes. The hemoglobin protein plays a significant role in carrying oxygen due to being composed of a heme iron group. Luckily in addition to one of CRISPR’s inventions was the creation of Casgevy and Lyfgenia. These two are a type of gene therapy that specifically cures Sickle Cell Anemia by simply altering the genes that code for the mutation and produces one of the highest oxygen hemoglobin carrier, HbF, Fetal Hemoglobin. It has been found that as CRISPR is modifying the DNA, it is changing the chemistry in the human body. Overall, I will research on exactly how big of a change that chemical change is and if it impacts the body.
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