Duchenne muscular dystrophy, discovered by French neurologist Guillaume Duchenne in 1868, accounts for 40% of the cases of muscular dystrophy in the U.S. In 1987 it became one of the first ailments linked to a defect in a particular gene, but since then the main treatments have been limited and unable to halt the disease's devastating effects.

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Dr. Kunkel's laboratory discovered the gene causing Duchenne muscular dystrophy in 1986.

WSJ: New Muscular Dystrophy Drugs Offer Hope

It can be used to check an embryo does not carry any one of 50 different conditions including cystic fibrosis and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

BBC: Embryology Bill: The key points