Baylor College of Medicine, in conjunction with The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, has developed a way to use minivector DNAs in gene therapy. These reduced sized DNA vectors (as small as 300bp) have high gene silencing capabilities and high serum survival lengths with low replenishment requirements. In addition, the study shows that DNA minivectors have improved transfection efficiencies in aortic smooth muscle and NIH 3T3 cells. Minivector DNAs are a promising new gene therapy tool, particularly for blood-borne diseases such as lymphoma.

Zhao, N., J M Fogg, L Zechiedrich, and Y Zu. “Transfection of shRNA-encoding Minivector DNA of a few hundred base pairs to regulate gene expression in lymphoma cells.” Gene Therapy  21 October 2010.