In his presentation at the 1998 Cambridge meeting, James Wilson characterized gene therapy as a novel approach in its very early stages. Its ＿＿（36）＿＿ , he said, is to change the expression of some genes in an attempt to treat, cure, or ultimately ＿＿（37）＿＿ disease. Current gene therapy is primarily experiment based, with a few early human clinical trials under way. Theoretically, he continued, gene therapy can be targeted to somatic (body) or germ (egg and sperm) cells. In somatic gene therapy the recipient's genome is changed, but the ＿＿（38）＿＿ is not passed along to the next generation. This form of gene therapy is ＿＿（39）＿＿ with germline gene therapy, in which a goal is to pass the change on to ＿＿（40）＿＿ . Germline gene therapy is not being actively investigated, ＿＿（41）＿＿ in larger animals and humans, although a lot of discussion is being conducted about its value and desirability. Gene therapy should not be ＿＿（42）＿＿ with cloning, which has been in the ＿＿（43）＿＿ so much in the past year, Wilson continued. Cloning, which is creating another individual with essentially the same genetic makeup, is very different from gene therapy. Listing three scientific ＿＿（44）＿＿ in gene therapy, Wilson emphasized the concept of vehicles called vectors (gene carriers) to deliver therapeutic genes to the patients' cells. ＿＿（45）＿＿ the gene is in the cell, it needs to operate correctly. Patients' bodies may reject treatments, and, finally, there is the need to regulate gene expression. Wilson expressed optimism that many groups are making headway and cooperating to overcome all these obstacles.