In a revolutionary advancement, researchers have used CRISPR-Cas9 technology to completely eliminate HIV-1 DNA from human immune cells in laboratory conditions—without damaging surrounding cell structures.

The study, conducted by scientists at Temple University and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, achieved what antiviral drugs have never done: removing the latent HIV reservoir from T-cells, the virus’s primary hiding place.

Even more promising, the edited cells showed immunity to reinfection, a sign that gene editing could not only treat but potentially cure HIV.

While human clinical trials are still a few years away, this represents a major turning point in the fight against AIDS and could pave the way toward a functional or complete cure in the future.

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Scientists have successfully used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to remove HIV DNA from human immune cells, marking a breakthrough in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

A therapy called EBT-101, developed by Temple University and Excision BioTherapeutics, was able to target and cut out latent HIV proviral DNA in lab and animal models.

Early clinical trials in humans showed the treatment was safe and well-tolerated, though HIV rebounded after patients stopped standard antiretroviral therapy — suggesting the treatment still needs refinement.

Separately, researchers in the Netherlands (Amsterdam UMC) also confirmed that CRISPR could eliminate HIV from infected cells in lab settings by targeting highly conserved parts of the virus genome.

While not yet a cure, this progress represents a major step toward a potential one-time genetic treatment for HIV.

More research is ongoing to improve effectiveness and ensure safety for wider use.

In recent years, scientists have been exploring gene-editing techniques such as CRISPR to modify spiders or spider silk-producing organisms.

Most gene-editing work has focused on transferring spider silk genes into bacteria, goats, or silkworms because spiders are difficult to farm.

However, in April 2024, a Chinese research team from Tianjin University successfully edited the genome of the Nephila pilipes spider to produce fluorescent red silk using CRISPR-Cas9.

The red glow is achieved by inserting genes for fluorescent proteins, similar to those found in jellyfish or coral, into the spider's silk-producing glands.

The resulting silk glows under UV light, offering novel possibilities for biomedical imaging, smart textiles, and security tagging.

This marks a significant milestone in synthetic biology, demonstrating that spiders themselves can be directly edited to produce functional, enhanced silk — rather than using other organisms to do so.