This text focuses on gene therapy for inflammatory diseases. It provides an introduction to the basic concepts of gene therapy and the use of naked DNA approches. It also describes the advances that have been made in applying them to arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, Sjopgren's syndrome and transplantation. One chapter is devoted to discussing the first human clinical trials that apply gene therapy to the treatment of an inflammatory disease. As well as providing novel therapeutic approaches, gene therapy facilitates the development of new and improved animal models of disease; a chapter describing these advances is also included.