Скачать или смотреть I Beat Sickle Cell With CRISPR: A Conversation with Victoria Gray

What does it feel like to wake up without pain for the first time in over 20 years? For Victoria Gray, that moment marked the beginning of a new life—and a new mission. In the latest episode of The Big Question, Victoria Gray, the first person ever to receive CRISPR gene-editing therapy for sickle cell disease, shares her powerful story with Insoo, Director of the Center for Life Sciences at the Museum of Science.

Victoria’s journey takes us from childhood memories shaped by relentless pain and hospitalizations, through the isolation of growing up with an invisible and often misunderstood disease, to a groundbreaking turning point: a revolutionary clinical trial using CRISPR gene editing. With grace, honesty, and strength, she reflects on how sickle cell disease impacted every aspect of her life—from missed opportunities at school to the daily toll of chronic pain and fatigue. She shares what it meant to become the first person in the world to receive CRISPR-based gene therapy for sickle cell, and the unforgettable moment she realized the treatment had worked. As Victoria describes life after receiving her “super cells,” we begin to understand what it truly means to live pain-free for the first time in decades. Her mission now is clear: to advocate for others still suffering, to challenge disparities in medical access, and to raise awareness around the promises and pitfalls of cutting-edge treatments. Her story is not just about one person’s triumph—it’s a call to make innovative therapies like this one affordable, accessible, and equitable for all. Whether you're passionate about genetics, moved by stories of resilience, or interested in the future of medicine, this conversation offers both inspiration and a sense of urgency that cannot be ignored.

Chapters
00:00 – Victoria’s Breakthrough Moment
00:38 – Introduction to Victoria Gray
01:22 – Life with Sickle Cell
03:28 – Missing Out as a Kid
06:26 – Lost Dreams
07:00 – A Prayer for Help
09:30 – Joining the CRISPR Trial
10:40 – What CRISPR Does
12:14 – Realizing It Worked
13:43 – Living Without Pain
15:00 – Becoming an Advocate
16:12 – Access and Equity Challenges
17:40 – Facing Bias in Healthcare
19:55 – Helping Others Around the World
20:30 – A Message to Others

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Insoo Hyun is an affiliate of the Center for Bioethics at Harvard Medical School. He also serves as Director at the Center for Life Sciences and Public Learning at the Boston Museum of Science. Together with Vardit Ravitsky—President of The Hastings Center and a leading voice on bioethics—they guide Sussman through a riveting exploration of how individual IVF experiences can illuminate the larger conversation around reproductive rights, scientific responsibility, and the future of family in a rapidly changing world.

Among the world's largest science centers, the Museum of Science engages millions of people each year to the wonders of science and technology through interactive exhibitions, digital programs, giant screen productions, and preK – 12 EiE® STEM curricula through the William and Charlotte Bloomberg Science Education Center. Established in 1830, the Museum is home to such iconic experiences as the Theater of Electricity, the Charles Hayden Planetarium, and the Mugar Omni Theater. Around the world, the Museum is known for digital experiences such as Mission: Mars on Roblox, and traveling exhibitions such as the Science Behind Pixar. Learn more at https://www.mos.org/

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