Charisma (25 page)

Author's Note

Gene Therapy and Viruses

Although Charisma is the story of one rogue scientist who takes many misguided shortcuts, the promise of gene therapy in real life is breath-taking. Ever since scientists began to understand which gene mutations were correlated with certain diseases, they've been on a quest to fix those genetic faults. That quest is finally bearing fruit.

A huge challenge in this regard is getting the “fixed” version of a gene to the right cells. Several delivery vehicles have been tried, but for me the most fascinating, and at the time of this writing the most common, way is to use viruses. We all know how well they spread when we don't want them to, so why not take advantage of their power and use it to spread some good?

To make this happen, scientists keep the infectious aspects of the virus but replace the disease-making DNA within it with good DNA designed to fix genetic problems (e.g., by either replacing or deactivating mutated genes, or by introducing a new gene that will help combat a disease). The “viral vectors” packed with good stuff can be introduced to a body in several ways: via an injection, intravenously directly to the tissues with defective cells, or by removing cells from the body and introducing the virus to them in a lab before returning them to the body.

One of the most fascinating facts I came across while researching this book was that a modified form of the HIV virus was being used to deliver treatment against certain types of cancer as well as HIV itself. There's a certain poetic justice in the idea that one of humankind's greatest scourges could be used to combat itself and another deadly disease.

Like many other promising treatments, gene therapy still faces many hurdles. Among them, the issue of viruses inadvertently triggering the body's immune system, its high cost in comparison to the number of patients who can be treated at this time, and the complexity in getting the right genes to the right place in sufficient quantities, and then activating them without disrupting good genes.

Nonetheless, I believe gene therapy holds great promise. If you'd like to learn more, there are many wonderful online resources (some interactive) and books. Spending hours and hours with this material has made me wish more than once that I'd taken biochemistry in college.

Acknowledgments

This book took much longer to complete than I expected. But supporting me all the way was my tireless editor, Heather Alexander. The final product would not be what it is without her.

As always, thanks to Ammi-Joan Paquette for her stellar representation. Thanks to Danielle Calotta for her captivating cover design, to Maya Tatsukawa for designing the book's interior, and Regina Castillo for saving me from grammatical and other errors. A rip-roaring thanks to Draga Malesevic, Kim Ryan, and Donne Forrest from Penguin's subrights department, who've brought my books to readers around the world.

Thanks also to the many critiquers who gave me their valuable input when this project was nothing more than a handful of rough opening chapters and a synopsis. They include:

Jaye Robin Brown, Kelly Dyksterhouse, Dani Farrell, Tara Grogan-Stivers, Annika de Groot, Lee Harris, Kristi Helvig, Joanne Linden, Christine Putnam, Michelle Ray, Lesley Reece, Mary Louise Sanchez, Niki Schoenfeldt, Meradeth Houston Snow (who also beta read), Pam Vickers, and Laura Hamilton Waxman.

Thanks to Ryan Tjoa, the first beta reader for this book, and to Rachel Chamberlain, my drop-everything-and-review beta reader for every manuscript I send her way.

Thanks to Dr. Ricki Lewis for responding to my questions about gene therapy, to Dr. Paulene Quigley for taking the time to meet with me and answer more questions about gene therapy, and Dr. Anthony Fiore for his help in understanding how epidemics are handled. Any errors I made on the above topics are mine alone.

Thanks to my patient and amazing kids. I hope I'm always as enthusiastic about your dreams as you are of mine.

And, finally, thanks to James, who makes pretty much all the rest possible with his counsel, cheerleading, and love.

Looking for more?
Visit Penguin.com for more about this author and a complete list of their books.
Discover your next great read!