The research led to an understanding of the way cystic fibrosis causes life-threatening damage through a chain of events that involves damaged genes, abnormal tissues and malfunctioning organs.

"Cancer is a disease of damaged genes," Mr. Weinberg asserts.

One potential solution is gene therapy, the injection of DNA into human cells, to replace damaged genes or produce proteins that stimulate the immune system.

He added that the research may lead to tests for identifying women who carry the damaged gene, as well as development of gene therapies to correct the defect.

In reporting on the findings, Dr. Neel emphasized that the children of survivors showed no abnormalities that might be attributable to damaged genes.

We don't know enough about Romulan genetics to distinguish damaged genes from healthy ones.

Dr. Richard A. Insel and a team of 12 scientists will study diseases that are caused by damaged genes.

In time, the procedures needed to repair damaged genes in the human body may be found.

A damaged gene found in many lung cancer tumors appears to play a critical role in developing the disease, say researchers who took part in a new study.