Introduction
The aim of this paper is to analyze the article “Using genetically-modified bacteria to fight cancer at Johns Hopkins” by John F. Cox. To do so, a concise summary of the article will be provided, followed by a review of its relevance to the course. Also, the writer will address the reason why the article caught their attention, as well as give an opinion on the best mode of funding for the research.
Summary
In his article, Cox (2005) reports how scientists are developing an interesting type of therapy as they seek to find a remedy for cancer. The novel technique involves the use of Clostridium novyi. This is a bacterium that has undergone genetic modification to remove its lethal toxin. Although the experiment has only been tested on lab animals (rabbits, rats, and mice), preliminary results, however, show that when tumor cells are infected with C. novyi, the bacterium renders them vulnerable. C. novyi is mobile by nature and it thrives under an anaerobic environment. Consequently, blood supply to the inner core of a tumor is relatively poor, causing an oxygen-deficient environment. Once C. novyi has been injected into a tumor, its mobile nature enables it to penetrate to the inner core of the tumor without causing any harm to healthy cells. Since the local environment is oxygen deficient, secretion of C. novyi destroys the tumor. Once the trial animals at Johns Hopkins had been injected with the bacteria, the researcher observed that their immune system was triggered to initiate an attack on the tumor.
How the article relates to the course
The article in question is relevant to the course content in a number of ways. For example, it addresses the issues of the metabolic alterations of Clostridium novyi to rid of its toxin, a process that involves genetic engineering. This process is covered by the topic on DNA structure and function. The article is also relevant to gene expression and control, since genetic modification of a bacterial cell involves gene transfer from one organism to another. The article is also relevant to the topic on cell structure and function. In particular, it describes the anaerobic nature of C. novyi.
Why the article caught my attention
The article caught my attention because it talks of the limited toxicity of genetically-modified C. novyi on normal cells, and how the bacteria is also highly selective on tumor cells (Patyar et al., 2010). This makes it a very effective remedy for cancer, compared with other more invasive techniques such as chemotherapy. Cancer is among the leading killer diseases. Over the past decade, I have lost a few close friends and family to cancer. A few of my acquaintances are still battling with one form of cancer or another and as such, this alternative cancer therapy could be a source of hope to them.
Opinion on funding of this research
The research should be funded jointly by the government and the private sector. This would give both parties a chance to set guidelines and policies agreeable to all.
Conclusion
The trial experiment at Johns Hopkins to treat cancer tumors using genetically-modified C. novyi is a classic example of the hope that alternative cancer therapy holds in the search for a cure to cancer. Indeed, such a breakthrough would offer hope to many cancer patients. Both the government and the private sector need to be actively involved in the funding and development of policies and procedures that will govern the application of this novel approach to the fight against cancer.
Reference List
Fox, J. F. (2005). Using genetically-modified bacteria to fight cancer at Johns Hopkins. Web.
Patyar, S., Joshi, R., Byrav, D. S., Prakash, A., Medhi, B., & Das, B. K. (2010). Bacteria in cancer therapy: a novel experimental strategy. Journal of Biomedical Science, 17(21), 1-9.