HAMPSHIRE scientists are at the forefront in the hunt to find a lifesaving cure for cystic fibrosis, the Daily Echo can reveal today.

Experts in Southampton are working at the cutting edge of science to provide a cure for cystic fibrosis sufferers.

The news comes in the wake of Chancellor Gordon Brown announcing that his baby son Fraser, pictured with Gordon and mum, Sarah, has developed the life-threatening condition.

Research into gene therapy will start in March 2007 at Southampton General Hospital with 264 patients being flown down from Edinburgh to take part in the first phase of the UK Gene Therapy Study.

Healthy genes will be given to the guinea pig' patients by inhalation and at present scientists are concentrating on treating cystic fibrosis in the lungs.

Consultant respiratory physician Dr Mary Carroll explained the project, funded by the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, is being carried out in conjunction with the Royal Brompton Hospital in London.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-threatening inherited genetic disease which disrupts the way the digestive and respiratory systems work.

It affects five babies born each week in the UK, and more than 7,500 babies, children and young adults are living with the condition. Average life expectancy is early 30s.

The condition is caused by a defective gene and the Southampton-based research will look at how best to replace the defective gene in a sufferer with a healthy one.

"We have known about the gene for many years. The work we are doing now is to see how we can incorporate the correct or normal gene into the cells of patients with cystic fibrosis.

"It's not the gene that is the problem, it's the delivery. If you think of the gene as milk, we need the container to transport it into the body," she said.

Dr Carroll explained Southampton was at the cutting edge of cystic fibrosis research, but there was a long way to go before a cure was found.

"I don't want to give people false hope and raise expectations - there is a very long way to go," she said.

Experts at Southampton are also working on another cystic fibrosis project with King's College Hospital in London to detect infection at an early stage.

"We are using almost forensic techniques to pick up when the infection is at an early stage - before the symptoms of a chest infection develop," she said.

Sufferers treated at Southampton General Hospital are acknowledged to receive some of the best care in the country.

Dr Carroll explained the care of children with the condition at the hospital was some of the best in the country and that gave sufferers a better chance of enjoying a full adult life.

Jo Holdaway, south east fund raising manager for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, said: "Scientists are extremely positive and optimistic about the research that they have done.

"For them to take it to clinical trials is absolutely incredible and all parents are waiting with baited breath for this huge breakthrough that we believe is going to happen."