We need a genomics-savvy healthcare workforce
Genetics is rapidly being integrated into everyday clinical practice. In an era of genomic revolution, genetically trained teams of healthcare workers are needed to optimize delivery of patient care.
Genetics is rapidly being integrated into everyday clinical practice. In an era of genomic revolution, genetically trained teams of healthcare workers are needed to optimize delivery of patient care.
We performed gene therapy to induce expression of GDNF in the ventral tegmental area of rhesus monkey brains. Our approach countered the hypodopaminergic state that is associated with chronic alcohol drinking and reduced alcohol intake to fewer than two drinks per day while other ingestive behaviors remained intact. These findings, along with results from our ongoing clinical trials of GDNF gene therapy in other diseases, support future application of this approach in humans with alcohol-use disorder.