RNA interference, a revolutionary discovery first made by UMass scientist Craig Mello and his colleagues, can halt the expression of some genes and ultimately treat genetic conditions. And, it's something that humans can artificially control.
It's already led to approved therapies for different liver disorders, and now, scientists' attention is turning to diseases like Alzheimer's and ALS.
Mello won a Nobel Prize for the discovery in 2006, and told Jim Braude on Greater Boston that it can change our lives.
More National News
"We are very excited about going after disorders of the central nervous system," Mello said. "We can now deliver these molecules very well into the brain."
He said there's always more to find out, demonstrated just this week by NASA's new James Webb Telescope that's already revealed groundbreaking images of far-off galaxies.
"What I love about science is: the more you discover, the more you explore, the more mysterious everything gets, right?" Mello said with a smile. "It's like those images from the new telescope — absolutely stunning."
Watch: Nobel Prize winner Craig Mello on how RNA science could change our lives
