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MARGARET WARNER (Newshour): When a critically ill infant is rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit, it can take weeks for doctors to determine which genetic mutation may be endangering the baby's life.
But, today, researchers announced they have developed a new way of testing an infant's DNA that can scan for hundreds of genetic disorders and get results in just two days. The research was published in the journal "Science Translational Medicine."
The paper reported the tests of just six newborns in neonatal units, but the implications could be widespread. Roughly 20 percent of infant deaths in the U.S. are caused by inherited genetic conditions, according to the study.
And Dr. Stephen Kingsmore led the research team at Children's Mercy Hospitals in Kansas City. He's the director for the Center for Pediatric Genomic Medicine there.
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