Med dean speaks on gene therapy

School of Medicine Dean William Kelley compared gene therapy to the Wright Brothers' flight of 1903. "We are now in the equivalent of 1905," he explained last night. "Advances in Gene Therapy" became the focus of Kelley's off-campus lecture, which took place at the College of Physicians in Center City. "Our understanding of the scientific underpinnings of gene therapy is accelerating at an astounding rate," Kelley said. "Science has been rife with recent discoveries of genes and their functions and these advances are being transferred at an accelerated pace to develop cures for serious diseases." Medical School Professor William Kissick, who serves as secretary for the College of Physicians, introduced Kelley, calling his productivity in the field of medicine "prodigious." Kelley, who has written more than 250 articles and 16 books, assumed his current position as Medical School dean in 1989. In his research, Kelley has emphasized gene therapy and is considered a leader in the field -- he recognized its potential before anyone else believed in it. Kelley defined gene therapy as the "insertion of a normal gene into an organism to correct genetic or acquired diseases." Kelley served as a principal investigator on a project funded by the National Institute of Health entitled "Experimental Models of Gene Therapy." He and his colleagues were the first to propose in vivo gene therapy, a modern approach to infecting the host with a modified recombinant DNA virus, which then copies the necessary gene. This manipulation occurs directly within the body, making it "a whole new field of development," Kelley said. The implications of this technology lead to further exploration in vaccinations. Since free fragments of DNA can be injected into the body, they can be appropriately transcribed and translated into proteins or encoded antigens that can generate immune responses equivalent to those of live viruses. The innovative vaccination would be easier to generate and control. "This would revolutionize the production of vaccines," said Kelley. "It is also the first approach that can become commercially viable." Kelley also talked about the concept of fetal gene therapy, which would be able to detect and prevent genetic diseases. Despite the excitement and expectations involved in the new technology, Kelley stressed that a great deal of time and effort is needed for further development. "This field is in its most embryonic development," Kelley said. "It is impossible to know what new surprises or new things are going to show up." Kelley's speech was sponsored by the Nathan Lewis Hatfield Fund and the Philadelphia Investment Management Group.