The Current How a gene edit gave a B.C teen his life back
Mar 9, 2026
Dr. Stuart Turvey, a pediatric immunologist who studies immune disorders, explains the science behind prime editing. Ty Sperley, a Kelowna teen born with chronic granulomatous disease, shares how a gene edit changed his life. They discuss the trial offer, how cells were edited and returned, the moment doctors confirmed the cure, and Ty’s life after treatment.
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Life Under A Constant Infection Risk
- Ty Sperley lived with chronic granulomatous disease that left him constantly at risk of bacterial and fungal infections.
- He took daily antifungal and antibacterial pills, endured a jaw bone infection in grade six, and frequent hospital stays until the trial in 2023.
Becoming The First Person Cured By Prime Editing
- Ty became the first person cured by prime editing after doctors took his cells, edited them, and returned them to his body.
- He learned the news when a team of about 20 doctors entered his room and told him his neutrophils were producing normally.
Genetic Diseases As Spelling Mistakes
- Genetic diseases often stem from single-letter 'spelling mistakes' in DNA that can impair specific cellular functions like neutrophil killing.
- Prime editing acts like a word processor to find and replace those errors across the genome.