Peer Review

Gene Therapy - Tools and Potential Applications

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Reviewed:: Jul 29, 2021 by Health Sciences

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

This open-access free online digital textbook describes different gene therapy tools, the clinical successes of gene therapy and future applications. The digital textbook has been divided into thirteen chapters with an introductory section for most chapters and the conclusion section at the end of each chapter. Most chapters have been provided with sections and subsections and some chapters have been written in the format of journal articles. Additionally, each chapter has been provided with a number of downloads and citations by scientists and researchers in the field. Each chapter has been written in the format of the research that has been done in the field with citation of the reference for it. Each chapter has been provided with tables and figures for demonstrating the results of research in the field. The digital textbook has been provided with some related textbooks in the field. Each chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium provided the original work is properly cited. Each chapter has a list of the references and author information.

Type of Material:

Open access free online digital textbook with a link for downloading and reading each chapter. Also, a link has been provided with each chapter for sharing the chapter in different technological media and a link for the printing option. The reference materials have been provided at the end of each chapter. Citations have been provided with each chapter in two different formats, RIS and Bibtex. Each paragraph in each section and subsections of each chapter has been supported by a reference and links to find it in PubMed, and Google Scholar websites.

Recommended Uses:

A solid background in genetics is required because the chapters are written as high-level review papers or research articles. Users of the book will obtain state-of-the-art information on methods, vectors, and technologies for gene transfer, and on clinical applications for the purpose of gene therapy.

Technical Requirements:

A computer with web browser. Firefox and Chrome work well. The online textbook is also accessible on iPad via Safari, however scrolling the text is not feasible. The hyperlinks to the paragraph in each chapter work and each chapter can also be downloaded as a PDF file.

Identify Major Learning Goals:

No explicit learning goals are described as it is an online textbook for students with advanced knowledge in genetics, recombinant DNA and gene transfer technologies. Implicitly, learning goals are to inform the audience about gene therapy delivery systems, transgene expression in cells and tissues, vectors for gene therapy, and current and future applications. Students will obtain advanced knowledge on methods and applications of gene transfer and gene therapy.
After this learning activity the learner will
- Identify advanced genetic information
- Summarize gene therapy delivery systems.
- Summarize transgene expression in cells and tissues.
- Summarize vectors for gene therapy.
- Explain gene transfer and gene therapy.

Target Student Population:

Advanced undergraduate students and graduate students in the filed of genetics. Scientists interested in learning about gene therapy or desiring a comprehensive review book written by expert practitioners in the field.

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

A thorough understanding of genetics and recombinant DNA technology are prerequisites.

Content Quality

Rating:

Strengths:

Excellent and up-to-date text book chapters edited and written by leading experts in the field.
Each chapter presents an introduction to the field followed by a comprehensive review of useful methods and technologies, current applications, and an outlook to future applications.
Each chapter has an extensive reference list that can be accessed via a web link.
In the reference list, each reference is linked to PubMed and Google Scholar for easy access to the article.

Concerns:

Minor typos. Figures in some chapters (Chapter 11, Transposons) are not accessible from the hyperlinked online version of the text book but the chapter must first be downloaded as a PDF file to see the figure.
The chapters are lacking the chapter learning objectives and student learning outcomes.
Some chapters are demonstrating the information in the format of journal articles.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:

Strengths:

Excellent and up-to-date text book. Free. Hyperlinks work well in most instances.
Each chapter is providing several sections and subsections of the related topics of interest. Each chapter is explaining the concept of learning materials in a format of scientific research. Each chapter has been explaining each concept with different learning platforms such as diagrams, figures, and tables. Each chapter has provided a summary section by explaining the major points of the chapter. Each chapter has been supported with a reference and a link to a detail’s information about it in PubMed and Google Scholar websites. The most chapter has provided with additional reference for digging deep into the original scientific research.

Concerns:

Some chapters have mentioned the learning objectives in the introduction section, and it does not state the learning objectives per each chapter and section and subsection. It’s difficult to integrate this digital textbook into the curriculum because it has been designing in the format of journal articles rather than learning educational textbooks. The evaluation systems for each chapter are not established and relevant evaluation systems are recommended for each section and subsection of each chapter such as quizzes, check out knowledge and exercises. This online digital textbook lacks the link for downloading the whole digital textbook. Each chapter is separated, and it needs an independent downloading that make it very time-consuming in downloading one on one. Or chapter by chapter. The InTech and or author has separated each chapter to get a greater number of downloading and citation by audiences. Since the learning objectives have not been recognized in each chapter, it is difficult to measure student learning outcomes per each section and subsection of each chapter.
It is a text book, not an online interactive module for learning the technologies used in gene therapy.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:

Strengths:

Hyperlinks allow easy access to the information. Excellent references that are directly linked to PubMed and Google Scholar.
Easy to use the materials. It is engaging and interactive and particularly the figure, tables, and diagrams. It provides the link for reviewing the original reference the materials. It is visual and some video YouTube links have been provided. Relevant, appropriate related textbooks have been provided.

Concerns:

Some figures are not properly hyper-linked and can only be seen in a downloaded PDF file.
This digital textbook lacks the link for downloading the whole textbook. Each chapter must download separated and this is time-consuming. Searching from chapter to another chapter takes times and it’s not a smooth process. Some chapters have some figures with no clear distinguish results. The chapters are not consistent in terms of learning objectives and action verbs and overall structure and design.

Other Issues and Comments:

Some figures are not properly hyper-linked and can only be seen in a downloaded PDF file.
This digital textbook lacks the link for downloading the whole textbook. Each chapter must download separated and this is time-consuming. Searching from chapter to another chapter takes times and it’s not a smooth process. Some chapters have some figures with no clear distinguish results. The chapters are not consistent in terms of learning objectives and action verbs and overall structure and design.

Creative Commons: