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John Stiller's avatar

Another excellent and perceptive piece. Dr. Love does a great job highlighting the extraordinary momentum in cancer treatment brought about by genetic engineering. The ability to reprogram the immune system, from ex vivo CAR T therapies to emerging in vivo approaches and CRISPR-edited TILs, represents a true leap forward in how we think about curing certain cancers rather than merely managing them.

What is especially encouraging is the way these technologies are beginning to converge: precise gene editing, enhanced targeting, and immune system reconditioning. The shift from custom-built cellular therapies to off-the-shelf or in vivo strategies could expand access dramatically while reducing cost and complexity.

We are witnessing a transition from proof of concept to scalable therapeutic innovation, and that is deeply hopeful. Of course, challenges remain, but the direction is unmistakably promising.

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Dr. Andrea Love's avatar

Thank you, John! I’m privileged to have authored a few studies in this very space, focused on CAR T for solid tumors, latent viral infections (HIV), and hematologic cancers.

The potential of GE technology is poorly understood by so many, and fear based on misinformation creates a snowball effect across all facets of human health—including our ability to grow food for 8+ billion people.

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John Stiller's avatar

Yes, I appreciate your work and clarity. I am a fan!

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Jim McMicking's avatar

Great stuff Dr. Love. I was a fan and supporter before this, but as a CAR T patient, now 2 years free of lymphoma, I appreciate the extra background info and comparative argument with ag science.

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Mark Bobrow's avatar

Superbly done! As advanced as these therapies seem, we are just at the beginning of revolutionary approaches in cancer therapies. Ongoing efforts include getting the CAR T cells to work on solid tumors, being able to turn them on an off, and there is at least one company working on creating CAR T cells using mRNA in lipid vesicles (as the vaccines work), thereby reducing the time and effort to create CAR T cells. CAR T cells are also being tested to treat autoimmune diseases.

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Tim Orr's avatar

How can we counter the argument that GMOs might have adverse unintended consequences? Same would be a question for these medical therapies. Might they not have adverse unintended consequences as well?

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