Page 8 - New Scientist

THIS WEEK

Reinventing how eyes

work to treat blindness

Optogenetic treatments are finally making their way to the clinic

Clare Wilson eventually causing blindness. suggests that, after about six
Because light can reach nerve cells weeks, this injection should
SMART goggles and gene in the retina of the eye without enable the cells to detect red light.
therapy are about to be tested as any need to drill into the skull,
a treatment for blindness. This is sight loss disorders could be
one of the first ever uses in people prime targets for optogenetic Seeing red
of optogenetics, a technique that therapies. If successful, this would only
involves changing the DNA of The new treatment, developed boost detection of red light,
nerve cells so that they can be by French firm GenSight which isn’t likely to improve
controlled by light. Biologics, targets nerve cells in vision very much on its own.
This technique has been a the retina that aren’t normally So the trial volunteers will wear
powerful laboratory tool for sensitive to light. The idea is that special goggles that have cameras
understanding how animal by genetically modifying these to and light sources that together
brains work, but was considered detect light, they can compensate convert other colours into red
impractical for use in humans for the cells that die off as the light. The hope is that this will
because of the need to put a disease progresses. give them improved vision, BATKE/GETTY
wire intothebrainthrougha To make these cells sensitive albeit in monochrome.
holein the head (see “Internal to light, they will be injected The big unknown is how
light”, right). with a gene that normally helps much of a benefit this will give. information that is sent to the
But 12 people in the UK are single-celled algae to detect light. Michel Michaelides of University brain, using them to detect light
about to have an optogenetic The same gene is often used in College London predicts people’s will reduce clarity compared with
treatment for retinitis optogenetic lab studies. Each sight will be “rudimentary”. a healthy eye.
pigmentosa, a rare inherited patient will receive one injection, Because the nerve cells being But José-Alain Sahel, GenSight
condition in which the eye’s in only one eye. changed are normally involved co-founder, says: “We hope the
light-sensitive cells slowly die, Work in mice and monkeys in improving or refining visual patients will regain, after training,

Capsized oil tanker conservation scientist in Anchorage,
Alaska. It could become “the largest
leaks deadly toxins spill of condensate in history”.
“Condensate is acutely toxic to
ATLEAST crudeoil is visible. Not sothe all marine organisms,” says Steiner.
toxic liquid leaking from a capsized oil “It can cause lethal injury quickly,
tanker in the East China Sea. This or sub-lethal impairments such as
invisible substance can be lethal. reproductive failure.” The species at
TRANSPORT MINISTRY OF CHINA HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK explosions, the Sanchi capsized on Setback for crewed
On 6 January, the oil tanker Sanchi
risk include minke and fin whales. He
says the condensate must be tracked.
collided with a freighter, whose crew
was rescued. Ablaze and rocked by
Sunday with the loss of its 32 crew.
The Sanchi was carrying 136,000
SpaceX missions
tonnes of oil condensate, which is
more volatile and flammable than
crude oil. The spill is the biggest since
THE 2016 mishap with a rocket launch
may continue to trouble SpaceX’s
Deepwater Horizon in 2010.
quest to send humans to space.
“It’s a pretty good assumption that
Advisory Panel (ASAP) recommended
released to the environment, or will
on 11 January that NASA should not
be shortly,” says Rick Steiner, a marine
6 | NewScientist | 20 January 2018 all the fuel and cargo either has been The independent Aerospace Safety