Ecosystem diversity, the diversity of a place at the level of ecosystems. Crop diversity, the variance in genetic and phenotypic characteristics of plants used in agriculture. Functional diversity (ecology), the elements of biodiversity that influence how ecosystems function; see diversity-function debate.
Gene therapy is the therapeutic delivery of nucleic acid polymers into a patient's cells as a drug to treat disease. Until September 1990, it had never been successfully done, and it is still an experimental and emerging medical technology.
Gene therapy replaces a faulty gene or adds a new gene in an attempt to cure disease or improve your body's ability to fight disease. Gene therapy holds promise for treating a wide range of diseases, such as cancer, cystic fibrosis, heart disease, diabetes, hemophilia and AIDS. Researchers are still studying how and when to use gene therapy. Currently, in the United States, gene therapy is available only as part of a clinical trial.