Understanding how our genes and proteins shape Sickle Cell Disease.
Every person’s body has thousands of genes that carry the instructions for how we grow and function. In Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), a small change in one gene affects the protein that helps red blood cells carry oxygen.
Genes are like the body’s instruction manual. They tell our cells how to make everything we need — including the protein called hemoglobin, which helps carry oxygen in our blood. Sickle Cell Disease happens when the gene that controls hemoglobin has a small “spelling mistake.”
Proteins are the “workers” in our bodies — they build, repair, and transport materials. In people with Sickle Cell Disease, the protein that makes hemoglobin doesn’t fold properly. This causes red blood cells to change shape, becoming stiff and sickle-shaped.
Understanding genes and proteins helps us know how SCD is passed from parents to children. It also helps doctors and scientists find better treatments that target the root cause — the gene itself.
“The more we understand our genes, the better we can manage and treat sickle cell disease.”
– Nia CBO Health Educator, Kibera