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St. Jude at forefront of life-changing gene therapy for sickle cell patients

By , Daily Memphian Updated: October 14, 2024 2:10 PM CT | Published: October 14, 2024 4:00 AM CT

Gene therapy, which modifies a person’s genes to treat or cure a disease, looks promising as a potential cure for everything from diabetes and blindness to cancer and muscular dystrophy. 

At St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the technique is being used to give sickle cell disease patients like Donte Johnson of Memphis a new lease on life. 

Since infancy, Johnson, 23, has lived with the debilitating, inherited blood disorder, characterized by chronic pain. As a child, he was treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s pediatric sickle cell clinic. 

Topics

Sickle Cell Disease St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Dr. Alexandra Leonard Casgevy Subscriber Only

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Aisling Mäki

Aisling Mäki

Aisling Mäki has spent the better part of two decades writing about Memphis. A former digital journalist for WMC Action News 5 and staff reporter for Memphis Daily News, her work has also appeared in The Commercial Appeal, High Ground News, I Love Memphis, Inside Memphis Business, The Memphis Flyer, Memphis Parent, Memphis Magazine and Tri-State Defender. 


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