Viruses aren't just pathogens; they're evolutionary architects. Ancient viral DNA makes up 8-17% of human genomes, shaping everything from immunity to brain function, while bacteriophages drive microbial evolution and could become precision biocontrol tools.
CRISPR 2.0 technologies like prime and base editing have achieved error rates as low as 1 in 543, enabling FDA-approved cures for sickle cell and beta thalassemia. While costs remain high at $2 million per treatment, the one-time cure model promises to transform medicine for hundreds of inherited diseases.
mRNA vaccines, proven effective against COVID-19, are being rapidly adapted to tackle cancer, HIV, and malaria through personalized tumor antigens, multi-stage pathogen targeting, and innovative delivery systems, with the first cancer therapies likely approved by 2030.
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