Gene therapy and genetic material dependent treatments are pushing to transform conventional clinical practice. RNAi based medicines revolutionise the field of gene therapy in near future. The therapy based on genetic materials is now a reality and RNAi based drugs are now racing towards the clinic, according Dr Utpal Bhadra, group leader, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology.

RNAi has a capacity to destroy any genetic material at any time in any specific type of cells and is considered to be the most powerful gene knock out system, he added.

Small RNAs can be used as guide for destroying the machinery of infectious organisms once they enter human body. Doctors, clinical researchers are talking about initiating human trials within next two to three years. Small RNAs can serve as tools for genetic analysis, drug discovery and gene therapy.

RNAi has many advantages over the use of anti-sense oligo-nucleotides and therefore has enormous potential as a therapy with abundant commercial value. There are a number of factors not all of which have been fully identified or adequately studied for successful use of RNAi. The CCMB team is currently trying to find an answer for whether transcripts of baculovirus genomic DNA or product of any specific viral gene counteracts RNAi machinery.

RNAi in the recent past has created interest not only in the scientific community but also among biotechnologists and those engaged in drug discovery. RNAi is useful in identifying anti-cancer targets, he added.

Dr Bhadra has been selected as 'International Fellow' of Wellcome Trust (UK) and for Young Investigator from 'Human Frontier Science Program', the sole research foundation of G8 countries. He is currently selected as a fellow for UNESCO and Australian Expert Group in Industry Studies (AEGIS).