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IMAGE: Aaliyah Shodeinde, a fourth-year graduate researcher in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering working in professor and drug delivery pioneer Nicholas Peppas lab. view more
Credit: The University of Texas at Austin
Viruses attack the body by sending their genetic code DNA and RNA into cells and multiplying. A promising class of therapeutics that uses synthetic nucleic acids to target and shut down specific, harmful genes and prevent viruses from spreading is gaining steam.
However, only a handful of siRNA, or other RNA interference-based therapeutics have been approved. One of the main problems is getting the siRNA into the body and guiding it to the target.