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From: phil@amdcad.UUCP (Phil Ngai)
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: attacking viruses
Message-ID: <2617@amdcad.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 13-Aug-85 01:22:59 EDT
Article-I.D.: amdcad.2617
Posted: Tue Aug 13 01:22:59 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 14-Aug-85 02:46:45 EDT
Organization: AMDCAD, Sunnyvale, CA
Lines: 17

Recently someone commented that modern medicine can do little against
illness caused by viruses. I had a thought which goes like this:
in recombinant DNA research they use agents (a form of RNA?) which
cut the genes at precise points. Then other methods are used to splice
together the pieces as desired. Could we simply employ the right agents
to cut up the genes in nasty viruses? I realize they are carried in
protein containers and the genes are directly injected into the victim
cells. But I wanted to throw out this idea. The cutting agents seem
to be programmed to cut at precise places, which means they should be
able to attack the desired virus and nothing else. Or I could be all wet.
I'm an engineer, not a doctor.
-- 
 Yuck! This coke tastes different!

 Phil Ngai (408) 749-5720
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