The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad has unraveled the mystery behind gene silencing, paving the way for detecting the mechanisms that prevent cancer in human beings.
Two scientists - Manika Pal Bhadra and Utpal Bhadra have been instrumental behind this novel finding to fight a disease, which has remained a global challenge for centuries.They hope that silencing segments of the genes (heterochromatin), which are responsible for rapid cell division by appropriate methods, would be an ideal solution. Diseases coupled with cell division and cell proliferation, such as various types of cancers, appear to be controlled by heterochromatin formation and it’s functioning.
Understanding the role of gene silencing might thus pave a way to use it as a possible therapy for cancers and other related diseases, which involve control of the cell division.
Source: IANS
