Gene Therapy for Viral Infections

Gene Therapy for Viral Infections provides a comprehensive review of the broader field of nucleic acid and its use in treating viral infections. The text bridges the gap between basic science and important clinical applications of the technology, providing a systematic, integrated review of the advances in nucleic acid-based antiviral drugs and the potential advantages of new technologies over current treatment options.ÿ Coverage begins with the fundamentals, exploring varying topics, including harnessing RNAi to silence viral gene expression, antiviral gene editing, viral gene therapy vectors, and non-viral vectors. Subsequent sections include detailed coverage of the developing use of gene therapy for the treatment of specific infections, the principles of rational design of antivirals, and the hurdles that currently face the further advancement of gene therapy technology. - Provides coverage of gene therapy for a variety of infections, including HBV, HCV, HIV, hemorrhagic fever viruses, and respiratory and other viral infections - Bridges the gap between the basic science and the important medical applications of this technology - Features a broad approach to the topic, including an essential overview and the applications of gene therapy, synthetic RNA, and other antiviral strategies that involve nucleic acid engineering - Presents perspectives on the future use of nucleic acids as a novel class of antiviral drugs - Arms the reader with the cutting-edge information needed to stay abreast of this developing field

Patrick Arbuthnot is currently a personal professor and director of the Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. After completing a medical degree and then a PhD, he carried out post-doctoral research on gene therapy for liver diseases at Necker Hospital in Paris. For more than ten years, his primary research focus has been on advancing gene silencing and gene editing technologies to develop improved treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection. In addition, he has worked on furthering methods of disabling genes of HIV-1, Rift Valley Fever virus and hepatitis C virus. Dr Arbuthnot has been an author of numerous publications and edited scientific books on topics related to antiviral gene therapy.