<P> The techniques used in gene therapy, which is also referred to as vectors, have a method of using a healthy gene to attack and replace an infected gene . The amount of techniques or vectors that have been used to conduct these clinical trials vary . A few of the techniques are basic processing, gene doping, and viral vectors . Viral infections can be life - threatening in patients who are immune - compromised because they cannot mount an effective immune response . Approaches to protection from infection using gene therapy include T cell - based immunotherapy, stem - cell based therapy, genetic vaccines, and other approaches to genetic blockade of infection . There are also other approaches known as, T Cell - Based Approaches, Cell Therapy, Stem - Cell - Based Approaches, and Genetic Vaccines . </P> <P> Basic processing can be achieved through replacement of a mutated gene, inactivation of a mutated gene, or introduction of a new gene to help fight a disease caused by mutation . Secondly, gene doping is a procedure of gene therapy modulates gene expression of a particular gene . This procedure is mainly used to improve athletic ability for sporting events . This is a genetic form of human enhancement that is able to treat muscle - wasting disorders . It is a highly controversial procedure because the results do nothing unusual to the bloodstream, so athletic officials would be unable to detect chemicals in a blood or urine test . An example of gene doping would be proving athlete with erythropoietin (EPO) with is a hormone that increases the red blood cell count . Lastly, viral vectors are able to mimic the methods of a normal virus in the human body to introduce' good' genes into a human cell . For instance, scientists are able to positively change the host's genome by removing the genes that cause disease from a virus and replacing it with genes of the desired trait ("Types of Gene Therapy"). </P> <P> The techniques above have been used by scientist, but the most popularized techniques are Naked DNA and DNA complexes . The injection of the Naked DNA is the simplest method of the vector delivery method . The Naked DNA is a histone - free, modified DNA sequence that removes proteins that would normally surround it . This form of delivery is sometimes used as a natural compound, but the United States has been making large waves of synthetic compounds for gene delivery . The other form, which is DNA Complexes, has been used when a compound is crossed with a chemical mix in order to produce the desired compound . There are other studies that are currently underway that have been referred to as the hybrid method because there is a combination of two or more gene therapy techniques used . This can instill the idea that the desired gene will stick during the delivery, transfer, and implant . </P> <P> The manipulation of an organism's genome for a desirable trait is related to the medical procedure of cloning . The process of cloning results in making genetically identical organisms . Moreover, scientists can use gene therapy vectors to modify the DNA to be identical to a particular organism . Moreover, the techniques established by the field of gene therapy can potentially be used to create "designer babies". This can be achieved through the use of IVF to assist in creating a genetically designed baby . </P>

Technologies used to choose the genetic traits of gametes and embryos