Health
How Science Is Solving Sickle Cell Disease
Scientists have used a DNA cutting technique to remove a gene responsible for sickle-cell disease (SCD) – a life-threatening blood genetic disorder.
According to the information scooped from irishtimes.com, the scientific breakthrough using Crispr (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) genetic editing technology by a team including an Irish researcher has been outlined in findings reported in the journal Science.
“Crispr-Cas9 is a molecular scissors that we can use to cut and remove disease-causing mutations in our DNA,” explains Dr Ciaran Lee, a postdoctoral student at APC Microbiome Ireland research institute at University College Cork who took part in the research.
Dr Lee – a Marie Curie research fellow – did the experimental work at Rice University in Houston, Texas, and his data analysis was carried out on his return to Ireland. Leading researchers from Rice University, Stanford University and Aarhus University were also involved.
The life expectancy for people with SCD is between 42 and 47, and it affects in the region of 500 people in Ireland. It is most common among people of sub-Saharan African descent, while the numbers affected in Ireland have been growing over the past two decades.
Cas9 is a gene-cutting enzyme that uses a family of DNA sequences commonly known as Crispr, and then remove specific bits of DNA that scientists believe are linked with disease.
Haemoglobin defect
SCD is caused by a defect in adult haemoglobin, a protein in the red blood cells that carry oxygen around the body and give the blood its red colour. The defect causes red blood cells to become shaped like sickles or crescent moons. These abnormal cells can slow or block blood flow and cause pain, swelling, infections and vision problems.
In prior work scientists activated a type of haemoglobin present in the foetus, to compensate for defective adult haemoglobin. This was done, Lee says, by targeting regions of DNA called repressors.
“This approach is currently being tested in clinical trials with the early data showing great promise that Crispr-Cas9 gene therapy can result in a long-term cure,” Lee says.
The problem with this strategy, he explains, is that it does not remove the SCD causing genetic mutation from our cells. “Our study takes a different approach, using Crispr-Cas9 to target the disease mutation and replace it with the correct sequence.”
“While we and others have shown that this is possible in cells in a dish, this current study shows that when done at clinical scale this approach is efficient, safe and leads to correction of long-lived stem cells,” Lee says.
The study opens the door to similar gene-cutting strategies being adopted as a way to cure a range of genetic diseases. “These are all essential for developing an effective cure for sickle cell anaemia and other genetic diseases,” he points out.
The success of this research in a large-scale clinical trial on mice opens the door for trials in humans with SCD to begin. A US company specialising in use of gene-editing techniques to tackle disease is set to begin such trials later in 2021 or early in 2022.
The Oyo State Government has confirmed a Lassa fever case at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, where a 44-year-old woman died, prompting the activation of emergency response measures and immediate contact tracing to contain the disease.
The state Commissioner for Health, Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, saying, “The patient died on April 11, 2026, while receiving treatment, while laboratory confirmation of Lassa fever was received on April 13.”
She added that the Ministry of Health had swiftly activated its emergency response system, including the establishment of an Incident Management System to coordinate response activities across the state.
According to her, “All identified contacts of the deceased are being closely monitored, while necessary measures have been taken to ensure a safe and dignified burial in line with public health protocols.”
Ajetunmobi urged residents to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as persistent fever, weakness, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, unexplained bleeding, chest pain or difficulty breathing.
She stressed, “Early presentation at health facilities significantly improves the chances of survival.”
The commissioner explained that Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted primarily through contact with food or household items contaminated by urine or faeces of infected rodents.
“It can also spread from person to person through contact with bodily fluids, especially in healthcare settings where infection prevention measures are not strictly observed,” she said.
She advised residents to maintain strict environmental hygiene, including proper waste disposal, safe storage of food in rodent-proof containers and avoiding drying food items on bare ground or roadsides.
Ajetunmobi also urged households to seal holes and entry points to prevent rodent access, while emphasising regular handwashing and good personal hygiene.
Residents, she said, should report suspected cases through designated emergency lines, while health workers must strictly adhere to infection prevention and control protocols.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment, the commissioner said surveillance had been intensified across the state, with all health facilities placed on alert.
“There is no cause for panic. The situation is under control, and Lassa fever is both preventable and treatable when detected early,” she assured.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, has pledged to support the breast cancer awareness programme of the ABC Foundation founded by former Oyo First Lady, Dr. Florence Ajimobi.
Oseni, who is Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), made the commitment on Thursday in Ibadan at the flag-off of Pink Month 2025, an initiative of the foundation.
Contained in a statement by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, the lawmaker described the campaign as a “lifesaving mission” given the rising burden of breast cancer in Nigeria, with over 28,000 new cases and thousands of deaths reported annually.
The APC chieftain said the free screening of 1,000 women planned by the foundation was timely, stressing that early detection remained the strongest weapon in the fight against cancer.
Hon. Aderemi Oseni exchanging pleasantries with former Oyo State First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Florence Ajimobi, at the event.
“Health is life. Only this June, I moved a motion at the National Assembly which led to the Federal Government subsidising dialysis treatment nationwide. Today, dialysis is either free or heavily discounted in federal health facilities,” Oseni said.
He listed his personal interventions to include funding hospital bills of indigent patients, construction of hospitals in Ido and Ibarapa East, establishment of primary health centres, and organisation of medical outreaches. He also disclosed plans to deploy mobile clinics to rural areas.
Commending Mrs. Ajimobi for sustaining her late husband’s legacy through humanitarian service, Oseni assured of partnership with the foundation, saying women’s wellbeing and empowerment remained central to his vision for Oyo State.
In her remarks, Mrs. Ajimobi said the foundation had offered medical care to over 85,000 patients and conducted more than 100,000 investigations since its inception. She added that the campaign was not just corporate social responsibility but “a moral duty and sacred trust.”
The former first lady, who lost her daughter Abisola to breast cancer earlier this year, said the experience had strengthened her resolve to save other families from such tragedy. She appealed to women to take advantage of the free screening and called on partners and development agencies to support the fight.
Chairman of Fidson Healthcare Plc, Dr. Fidelis Akhagboso Ayebae, and Chief Executive Officer of Hazon Holdings, Dr. Victor ’Gbenga Afolabi, are set to lead discussions at the second edition of the D’Bio Wellness & Selfcare Summit.
The event is scheduled to hold on September 24 and 25 at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Conference and Exhibition Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.
This year’s summit has the theme: “Self-Care as a Driver of Optimal Health and Wellness.”
Ayebae will serve as chairman of the event, while Afolabi, who is also the co-founder of Wellness HMO, will deliver the keynote address.
Ayebae, founder of Fidson Healthcare, is regarded as one of Nigeria’s leading pharmaceutical entrepreneurs. He is a fellow of the Institute of Directors Nigeria and the Institute of Corporate Affairs Management, and has held significant roles in the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.
Afolabi has more than 20 years’ experience spanning healthcare, finance, technology and marketing. He is also the founder of the Eko Innovation Centre, a Lagos-based technology hub that supports start-ups and young entrepreneurs.
Convener of the summit, Dr. Monica Hemben Eimunjeze, said the event would focus on practical steps to improve health outcomes through self-care.
She said, “We are excited to welcome Dr. Ayebae and Dr. Afolabi as pivotal figures in our quest to enhance health literacy and empower individuals to prioritise self-care. This summit is not just about discussions; it is about actionable insights that can inspire and transform lives.”
The organisers said the two-day summit is open to the public and will feature panel sessions with health and wellness experts, attracting healthcare professionals, advocates and business leaders.
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