One criticism of genetic approaches to cancer treatment has been that they don't actually improve care for most patients. But as the number of targeted drugs has expanded exponentially as part of the ongoing cancer immunotherapy push and genetic research has advanced, that may no longer be the case.

Elucidating the role of genetics in understanding disease is a driving force for the diagnostic and biopharmaceutical industries. But, until now, much of the human genome has remained largely a mystery. Scientists have long focused on the portion that codes for proteins – but that represents only 2 percent of the human genome.

Ohio State University researchers have developed a novel technology that was capable of directly transforming skin cells into other cell types in vivo. In a paper published in the Aug. 7, 2017, issue of Nature Nanotechnology, the team showed that they were able to restore vascular and muscle function in injured pigs and improve brain function in mice using the technology, which they have called Tissue Nanotransfection (TNT).