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Name: Liz
Status: Educator
Age: 30s
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Question:
Is it possible that DNA can be used to heal skin damaged by accidents burns or other trauma? (i.e. reprogramming the damaged area in vivo to reconstruct itself).


Replies:
Some animals like salamanders and starfish are able to regrow limbs after an injury, but the processes that make limb regrowth possible are not really understood at this time. Current research using embryonic stem cells has lots of potential similar applications like growing skin and other organs in the laboratory for clinical use or the regeneration of brain tissue to treat Parkinson's disease. But this sort of research is also controversial since the source of cells for this work is a human embryo.

Christine Ticknor
Ph.D. student
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut


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