spinal cord repair using ddRNAi

any breakthroughs on restoration of damaged spinal cords is particularly exciting. it truly would be a miracle
to be able to get people destined for the rest of their lives in a wheelchair up and walking again.

this study interesting for a number of reasons:
- study was carried out by Reeve-Irvine Research Centre at Uni California (allied to the Chris & Dana Reeve Foundation)
- in vivo (rats)
- restored forelimb function
- used ddRNAi (AAV) to silence a gene that encodes an enzyme which typically inhibits spinal cord development (normally after we stop developing), in conjunction with a localised 'scaffold' for the new neuro cells to grow into

"This is a major next step in our effort to identify treatments that restore functional losses suffered by those with spinal cord injury," said Steward, professor of anatomy & neurobiology and director of the Reeve-Irvine Research Center, of the current findings. "Paralysis and loss of function from spinal cord injury has been considered irreversible, but our discovery points the way toward a potential therapy to induce regeneration of nerve connections."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140723141826.htm

As per the norm, not ready to cure people yet, but this seems a mighty fine strategy and has come out of probably the best alliance on the planet for spinal cord research. What does it mean for Benitec in $$ tomorrow? Not a thing i'm sure! (buda if yr reading).