In the recent study, the researchers used CRISPR snipped out the sickle cell mutation from
donated human bone marrow cells, and replaced it with non-mutated DNA.
Patients receive one of two types of stem cell - based transplants: autologous, in which a patient
donates and receives back his / her own stem cells; or allogeneic, in which
bone marrow - derived stem cells come from a related or unrelated donor whose
human leukocyte antigens (HLA) are genetically matched with those of a patient.